


The March of Amidala

by melancholymollie



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ben Solo Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Brother-Sister Relationships, Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, Force Ghost Padmé Amidala, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Padmé Amidala, Force-Sensitive Poe Dameron, Gay Poe Dameron, Gen, Good Parent Han Solo, Jakku, Jedi Ben Solo, Jedi Luke Skywalker, M/M, Minor Leia Organa/Han Solo, Other, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Protective Ben Solo, Protective Rey (Star Wars), Protective Siblings, Rey & Rose Tico Friendship, Scavenger Ben Solo, Scavenger Rey (Star Wars), The Force, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron, Young Rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22214944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melancholymollie/pseuds/melancholymollie
Summary: When Ben started hearing the voices in head he knew what it meant. He'd heard the stories of the Jedi's of old who'd been tempted to the dark side.He wouldn't.He couldn't.He hid himself from the force, from the light and the dark.He built himself a new life on Jakku, even fostering Rey as his sister when there was no one in the world left for her.He treasured the name Ben Solo and became Ben Amidala.A scavenger in the outer rim.But then his past reared it's ugly head in the shape of a orange BB unit.
Relationships: BB-8 & Poe Dameron, Ben Solo & Han Solo, Finn & Ben Solo, Leia Organa & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron & Finn, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron & Leia Organa, Poe Dameron & Rey, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 22
Kudos: 145





	1. Ben what?

The sky was dark when he landed his ship.

The distant glow of the setting sun illuminating the area in which he’d landed. The distant buzz of the force in the back of his mind as he looked out over his new home. That was what this place was, his new home.  
He couldn’t go back. Not with what could consume him at any second lurking in the shadows of the light that his uncle preached to daily.  
No.  
He’d heard the stories of the Sith during the time of the rebellion, the stories of the empire in which they created. The stories of the lives that they destroyed. He couldn’t, no he wouldn’t be tempted. Not when he had the love of his parents, not when he had the love of his mother. Oh, his mother, the woman who stared into the eyes of the Sith Lord Vader and survived, the woman who watched her own planet be destroyed and went on to be one of the leading forces of the Rebellion. The woman who would nurse him back to health when he was sick as a child, the woman who had so much faith in him that he felt sick at the thought of the darkness trying to turn him against everything she sacrificed so much for.  
And his father. He could never turn against his father. The man who taught him how to fly, the man who would hold him close and drive away the nightmares, the one who taught him how to use a blaster and how to repair one of the fastest ships in the galaxy. The man who looked him the eyes and told him he was so proud that he was his son, no he wouldn’t allow for the darkness to turn him away from his family.

That was why he was here, and he would remain here until the force called for him.

He’d been sliding down one of the sand dunes when he heard the cries of a child. Already close to a year into his exile and he had developed and thrived in this new life he was carving out for himself.

Squinting against the harsh rays of the sun as he spotted two figures across on the next sand dune, he followed the direction that the second seemed to be fighting to get towards only to spot a ship speeding away into the atmosphere. “Come back!” a scream startled him as his attention was drawn back to the figures on top of the dune, “come back!” the voice seemed to repeat in a tone of desperation. A spark inside of him seemed to fuel as him as he raced across the coarse sand making him fight against the instability of the dune as he stubbled towards the figures, the closer he got the more he could make out of the pair making his stomach drop at the sight of them.

It was Unkar Plutt. He pretty much ran Niima outpost in a sense that Ben was careful when it came to trade with the Crolute, or Blobfish as many of the other scavengers had called him behind his back. The Crolute had a hold on a child who was screaming at the disappearing ship, he could sense the subtle tells of exhaustion in her pleads, “hold your tongue girl” Unkar hissed yanking at the childs arm pulling her along with him urging a pained yelp to mix with the plea’s slipping from her mouth, “enough Plutt!” he called out catching the aging aliens attention “she’s in distress can’t you see that” he tried to draw the aliens attention away to give the girl time to grieve over whatever had happened to her.

“Get out of here boy this has nothing to do with you” Unkar growled giving a strong yank at the crying child’s arm making the tears in her eyes fall heavier at the new sensation of pain bursting from her arm. Startled by the harshness the dark haired teen jumped to attention thinking of how to relieve the small girls distress, “I’ll trade you for her” he suggested feeling the bitter feeling that always appeared when ever it the notion of putting a price on a person was brought up. It was always a sore spot when it came to his family seeing as his grandfather had been born into slavery and his great grand mother had been a slave most of her life, both his parents spent a long time during the rebellion with prices on their heads put there by the empire as if putting a price on their lives. However the notion of a trade turned all of Unkar’s attention on to the teen standing before him, “what have you got to trade?” he questioned, greed, that was the aliens weakness and it was something the teen knew how to use to his advantage, his mother was a senator and negotiator, his father had been a gambling man in his youth gaining his most prized procession out of a game of cards against his uncle both men had taught him the art of trade and card games from a young age.

Reaching into his satchel he pulled out a Corellian energy core he’d been keeping a hold of since he’d taken apart an old YT engine with his father several years ago. Holding the pulsing core out to the Junker, “here it’s Corellian.. hard to find but I know one thing and that is it’s worth a lot both on the black market and in the hands of YT collectors..” he stated the object of interest heavy in his hand as it was held in high value as a close reminder to a time when he would act as a shadow to his father. “So what do you say, this energy core for you to let the girl go” he persuaded studying the Crolute carefully every so often his eyes would flicker to the small child who seemed oblivious to what was coinciding just behind her.

“Done!” the Crolute growled lurching forward snatching the core from his hand before flinging the girl at him causing the pair to tumble into the sand as he chuckled walking away from the two humans, “good trade boy” the Crolute spoke harshly before leaving the pair alone on top of the dune. The girl continued to cry curling into his hold as he held her letting her relieve her grief in peace without disturbance.

A thought then crossed his mind as to what to do know. He’d freed the girl now what? looking down at the small child that was crying into his chest he began thinking over what to do next.

He seemed so consumed in thought he hadn’t noticed the girl had stopped crying and was now watching him with sad curious eyes. “Why do that?” she spoke quietly watching as the teen was startled by her voice, looking back at he sighed shrugging his shoulders, “it was the right thing to do… you’re small so you wont really last long if your working for Unkar Plutt, besides your free now so you don’t have to worry about having a price on your head like you would of if you were still owned by Plutt” he explained as the girl looked around them, “I don’t know where am?” she seemed disheartened by the thought of not knowing. He felt a pang in his heart at the reminder that she was only a youngling and was either abandoned or orphaned, “Jakku, about four clicks from the nearest trading post… what’s your name?” he asked calmly as her eyes widened looking around them at the expanse of sand that covered the planet surface. She turned back to him as she seemed to judge him for a second, “I am Rey” she spoke so surely of herself.

“Just Rey?” he tilted his head curious to the little girls steady change of emotions.

“Just Rey” she repeated reaching up to touch the small padawans braid he’d left in his hair as a reminder of the life he’d inevitable chosen to leave. “What you called?” she asked lightly tugging at the braid to see if it was real, he winced at the sudden assault on his hair.

“I’m Ben”

She didn’t seem satisfied by the answer as she almost parroted his earlier question, “Ben what?” she had a look on her face as if she knew he was more than just ‘Ben’. Thinking quickly an image of a kind woman flashed across his face almost the carbon copy of his own mother but far gentler with so much hope and grace radiating from her, his grandmother Padme, she was a force to be reckoned with but when it came down to it love was her down fall.

He couldn’t choose his own name, Solo. No that was just as recognisable as the name Skywalker and Organa, but his grandmother was Amidala and it was a name barely recognisable in the outer rim quadrants. That would be good plus he can still hold on to a part of who he was once.

“Ben Amidala” 

She smiled at the name. It was a nice sounding name to her.  
“I like” she grinned as if what had transpired had never occurred, “I like Ben Amidal” she tried saying his new name missing the pronunciation by a letter or two but he couldn’t care she was smiling which was a whole lot better than watching her cry like earlier. “I like it too” he spoke quietly smiling at the girl.

It would be a long road, but he knew it would be okay because he now had someone to focus on. He now had his own Rey of sun to look after.


	2. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a promise made by a boy.
> 
> a promise made by a brother.
> 
> a promise made by a friend.

He could feel it even when he’d all but removed himself from the force.

There was something more to the little girl then just those bright and curious eyes that followed everything that he either did or showed her. He could sense the gentle buzz of the force within her mind whilst she slept curled up on his back in the sling he’d made after she’d fallen off his back whilst sleeping once, it was easier to just carrier her on his back when it got quite late in the day as they made their way back to the small shelter he had called home for around a year or so. He sighed at the sight of the run shelter knowing it wouldn’t be acceptable for a child now he’d practically fostered Rey as his family, to be fair it was barely practically for a growing teen like himself. 

Placing their portions beside the small wash basin that held their dishes from the previous morning, before lowering himself down enough to release Rey into the bundle of blankets that she normally slept in. Moving away quickly he went about making supper for when the tired youngling woke up, they’d been up in one of the old AT-AT’s that had gotten buried deep within the sand, luckily it hadn’t been touched since the Battle of Jakku so it still held most of it’s functioning parts. Showing Rey all the different parts reminded him of when he small and Chewbacca would take him up into the inner workings of the Falcon and teach him all the different things that made the Falcon the ship that it was, he always dreamed of building his own star ship so that one day it could live up to that of his father’s ship.

“Ben?” he heard Rey’s small voice call out to him in a tone of fear as he swung round letting his eyes go in search of any danger that caused her distress. Seeing nothing he stepped closer to the nest seeing her head pocking out from under one of the blankets, “are you okay?” he murmured kneeling to her level reaching out for her to take hold of his hand, shaking her head she refused to meet his eyes “won’t leave right?” was always her question when ever she woke up in distress. Smiling gentle he reached forward pulling her into his arms letting her snuggle into him, “never Rey... they’d have to drag me away kicking and screaming before I ever leave you” he swore he could hear his voice almost break as the sad reality hit him once more. They were all the pair had, he’d left to protect his family whist she was abandoned by her family, it wasn’t surprising that they’d found one another. “Promise?” Rey leaned back looking him dead in the eye whilst holding out her pinky finger, “promise I go with everywhere” she had that streak of determination that reminded him so much of those he’d left behind, shifting to hook her pinky with his own “I swear on the force that I won’t ever leave you”. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So when you lock in the cupelling like so… the engine should in theory start up” the young teen smiled at the dark haired child as the pair worked on the small engine model in front of them, “Uncle Chewie says that if there isn’t any clanking noises then the engine isn’t over heating” the young boy smiled as the engine was turned on both boys listening carefully for any issues, “my Pa said that was the same issue he and your uncle had with their x-wings some times the engine would over heat if they went too long without getting checked..” the young teen spoke up light heartedly before the engine shut off expelling a cloud of smoke.

The youngest of the pair lent forward trying to work out what had gone so wrong for their little engine, “maybe we can ask one of our dads to take a look maybe I could ask my uncle Chewie if he can see what’s wrong?” he turned his attention to the older boy who looked disheartened by the failure. “Sure” his words were quite as he turned away walking towards the doorway out of the room, “wait Poe!” the smaller boy called out chasing after his friend, “Poe stop please! We can fix it! I promise we can!” he called out as tried to catch up with his friend. “You already said that the last four times Ben” the older boy moped not turning to look at his friend as they continued walking neither knowing where their path may take them, “I know but it’s true I promise we can fix this” Ben spoke in such an assured tone he swore he could see the beginnings of a smile on his dearest friends face. 

Soon the corridors that they’d been traipsing through disappeared into open air as they slowly moved away from the crowding of people towards the more open woodlands the pair tended to favour more than the overcrowding of their homes. “I wanna fly away one day” Poe said aloud as both boys came to a stop at a small stream, “where would you go?” Ben asked curious to his friends thoughts, “dunno maybe somewhere no ones gone before maybe I can find a whole new world… wouldn’t that be something discovering a whole new world” he sighed looking up at the sky with a dreamy tone. Ben watched his friend curiously, “can I come with?” he asked quietly careful not to disturb the calming sensation that the clearing gave off.

“Of course.. you’re my best friend I wouldn’t leave you behind” Poe spoke reassuringly to his younger friend before sitting down letting the soles of his shoe just about touch the top of the water from the stream, “I’d fly the falcon… dad said I could when I was old enough… I could fly you there to your new planet if you’d let me” the youngers voice going slightly squeaky as he held his breath waiting for Poe to brush him off and tell him no. “I wouldn’t ask for any better pilot because you’re Ben Solo the best pilot in the galaxy and I would be honoured for you to fly me to my new planet.” He stated in a firm but child like tone he was finally facing his friend smiling brightly at him with such reassurance.

“Thank you Poe” 

“No worries Ben”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

He wished he hadn’t woken up. Oh, what he would give to back there with his best friend so free and innocent before everything became so clear to them, it had been so long since he seen Poe he often wondered if Poe still thought about him. The pair were inseparable whilst growing up, Poe often skipping lessons just to find Ben so they could go on some incredible adventure.

The real world must have thought it was a good idea to remind him that he was there and not back in his dream as the distant rumble of thunder sounded from a far off distance sending a disturbing shiver down his spine before his mind snapped back into action. Quickly scurrying from his bed he quickly gathered before his and Rey’s belongings before reaching down to gather said girl from her cocoon of blankets being careful not to disturb her from her sleep as he began making the trek towards the distant caves for shelter from the storm seeing as their own shelter was mostly made from scraps of metal he couldn’t risk the lightning striking them in their sleep. It seemed luck was thankfully on their side as the rain soon appeared as they entered the cave, Ben letting a sigh of relief out before placing the sleeping child into a small alcove in the wall for her to continue sleeping, however he couldn’t sleep the emotions swirling in his brain prevented any allowance of sleep as he chose to meditate instead in the hopes the technique his uncle referred to so often would still help him after so long.

Opening his mind, he allowed for himself to be drawn back into his past and indulge in the sweet innocence of his childhood once more.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ben stood in front of the mirror with tears in his eyes as he glared at his newly displayed padawan braid. He didn’t want it. It was a sign of him leaving and he didn’t want to leave.

“Why are you crying?” a voice he was so relieved to hear sounded from behind him as he turned letting out a heavy breath before dashing to the figure throwing himself at them as he did, “you’ve been gone so long I didn’t think I’d get to see you before I left” he mumbled into his friends shoulder the older boy chuckling before pulling him in closer, “I’ll always come back… I know it’s a bit late but hey I wouldn’t miss this okay” Poe squeezed his friend a little harder sensing the younger teens upset, “you didn’t answer, why all the tears?” he questioned pulling back so his hands were now resting on Ben’s shoulders as they looked at each other.

Ben looked away before back at the older teen desperate for them just to go back to when they were younger and didn’t have to worry about the other leaving, “their sending me away and I don’t wanna go…” he whimpered leaning forward till his head rested against Poe’s shoulder. “Dad doesn’t want me to go but mom she.. she thinks it will be good for me and she trusts Uncle Luke so so I have to go” he muttered hating that he was being so upset over a simple thing. Poe shook his head, he already knew what was happening his parents had warned him when Leia had first start discussing this with Luke, he remembered Han and his father going out for hours once every so often and coming back with Han looking angered at whatever was going on that he and his father had talked about.  
“I’ll still see you… you’re my best friend Ben that means we’re stuck with each other…” Poe reassured the younger boy like he had so many times before. Their friendship was special, every other person who’d ever tried to understand it always got frustrated and left calling Ben a weirdo and Poe an idiot for staying friends with him. “Remember that engine we tried building it took us weeks to get it right but you were always to stubborn to admit that we couldn’t” Poe started talking trying to distract his friend as they spent the last few precious minutes together before Luke would come looking for Ben to take him away with him, “but we did it in the end we got that engine working even if Chewie had to tell us which tools to use to get it right we still did it” his voice was quiet as they stayed like that.

“You won’t ever forget , right?” Ben asked quietly as time drew closer as the threat of Luke Skywalker stealing away his best friend grew ever more for Poe, he nodded reaching for Ben’s hand giving it a gentle squeeze, “you’re still gonna be there when we fly off to find that new planet… I wouldn’t want to change that for a second” Poe answered in a strong reassuring tone. “Never in a million years will I forget the famous Ben Solo” he smiled trying get his friend smile as well even if it was only for a second, the internal fear of never seeing his best friend growing stronger and stronger, “promise that you won’t replace me as your best friend… I don’t care how cool these other kids are… I’m still gonna be your best friend right?” he asked desperate to at hear his friend say yes.

“You’ll always be my best friend Poe Dameron” he reassured.  
“So, will you Ben Solo”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so, he cried.  
And he mourned.

And he wished for his best friend back.

But it wasn’t safe. Not yet anyway. There was still a threat and it will always be a threat until Ben was sure that it wasn’t.  
And until then on Jakku he will stay with Rey as his family by his side.


	3. A face from the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a reminding of the life he ran from.  
> his thoughts are in disarray with the only constant being his ray of sun.

Lor San Tekka was an aging who was well versed in the ways of the force despite not being force sensitive, but if there was one thing that he was sure about was that the young man standing a bit away from him with a young girl at his side speaking animatedly over parts of an old Imperial star ship was in fact the young prince so many thought lost. 

“Rey for the last time we’re not trading it for a droid” the young man huffed as the young girl deflated in a sense as she lowered her head and stood obediently at his side, seeing the girl so disheartened San Tekka watched on as the young man kneel in front of taking before her hands in his, “I don’t mean to sound so harsh but remember how long it took us to find this Rey, hopefully we’ll be able to get enough portions to last the next few days if Unkar is feeling generous” the tone sounded like one parent would use on their own child reminding the man of how the Princess had once spoken to her son so many years ago. He didn’t catch the small ‘okay’ that left the young girls lips only seeing her throw her arms around the Prince’s neck as he brought her closer to him, the old man smiled at the small display but also frowned in curiosity, why was the young Solo here and not with his parents or Uncle? Why had he ended up here with a small child at his side when he was meant to be training to be apart of the next generation of Jedi’s.

Feeling eyes on them Ben turned his head allowing himself to see the elderly man who looked so familiar yet was a stranger. Sensing the strong need to protect the girl in his arms he pulled away standing up keeping a hold of Rey’s hands, he gave a gentle tug urging her along as they quickly got in line for portions, “what’s wrong Ben? You’ve gone nervous” Rey’s voice only just reaching his ears as he glanced down at her seeing her bright eyes studying him carefully. “We were being watched” he tells her knowing there was no point in lying when she had to learn that their lives were dangerous even if it wasn’t the same danger that he’d grown up knowing, “oh” she mumbled before scanning the area around them “I don’t see anything different” she stated turning back to look at him a confused look on her face as to why he was so worried. Shaking his head at the small child “it’s because we’ve moved and they haven’t followed us” he explained before taking another step closer as they got closer to Unkar, “you probably scared them off cause you’re so ginormous” she giggled  
at him having a go at his abnormal height in comparison to most of the other scavengers, rolling his eyes he left her laughing before stepping up make eye contact with Unkar. 

“What have you brought with you today boy” the Crolute growled staring the human up and down before watching as the young man handed over the hydraulic pump that he and Rey had managed to remove from one of the old star ships earlier that day, seemingly impressed by their scavenge the Crolute looked the young human up and down before glancing at the young girl who seemed distracted by the cyborg like creature who stood off behind them, “Two portions” he grunted putting the pump away before slamming down two portions on the counter. Ben stared at them disheartened yet angered at the response “but it was five portions last time we brought you one of those” he hissed scowling at the Crolute who seemed uncaring to the young mans argument, “and now it is two portions now scram” Unkar growled pounding his fist against the counter before Ben quickly retrieved the portions turning away to take hold of Rey’s hand. “Let’s go home” he murmured gently pulling her away from the retreating creature as he led the way back to their speeder that he was attempting to build using parts from his stowed away ship. 

San Tekka moved swiftly to beat the pair to the work in progress that they called a speeder, he made good time as the pair approach Ben seeming to be distracted with whatever scavenger companion that had began trying to get the pairs attention, “Ben?” the little girl spotted him freezing as she stared at him with a distant look of fear in her eyes by this the young man had stopped arguing with the alien scavenger turning his attention to San Tekka his face flooding if fear as he sent a sharp look at the scavenger sending them away before shifting Rey to stand behind him. “Can we help you?” he spoke getting to the point as he stared down the elderly man in front of him, “it’s odd to find a prince of the republic so far out in this quadrant” San Tekka commented making sure there wasn’t anyone near by to hear his words, Ben seemed to freeze at his words as his stance moved to be one of a defence. “Who are you?” he muttered reaching for his blaster at his waist, “an old friend” San Tekka said turning his gaze to the little girl who peaked out from behind the older ones legs, “you must be hungry little one come my village has much food to spare come dine with us” he offered directing the offer to both.

“No” Ben growled reaching down to lift Rey up into his arms before shoving past the aging man placing their supplies into the side pouch before mounting the speeder, “Ben, your family mourn you” San Tekka tried to reason with the young man before he stared him dead in the eye. “I’m here because of them” he stated before firing up the engine and speeding away into the distance.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You look different” Poe muttered watching his friend as he meditated in the late evening sun.

“You haven’t seen me in nearly four months how can I have changed so much” Ben spoke up sensing his friends displeasure, “because I can tell you’ve changed..” Poe sounded as if pained by the notion that Ben could have even thought about changing. “Well that’s what happens when a person becomes a Jedi then I guess” he sighed turning his attention away from his attempt at meditation and back onto his friend, “how are your dad?” he asked knowing Poe’s mother had been ill recently from what his own mother had been telling him.

“He’s getting better slowly but surely you know, Dad’s just being Dad as he normally is” Poe sighed moving to sit next to the shorter boy, “he asks after you sometimes” he tells him as they fall into an awkward silence.

“I’m still your friend, right?” his voice shaking as he waited as if his fate were being decided in that very moment, “yes… you always will” was the short and quiet response that followed afterwards.

Neither boy knew it would be the last time they saw each other, one would run offer for adventure the other would run to protect the other.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Ben stared out over horizon as the gentle sound of Rey chattering away to the doll he’d made for her not long after meeting, filled his ears, his mind was reeling from the early encounter with the elderly man, he now remembered who the man was thinking back his time following after his parents and encountering their friends. The name Lor San Tekka came to mind when he thought of the mans face.

“Ben?” Rey’s voice pulling him from thought as it often did, he turned slightly to see her head popping out from the hatch of the AT-AT walker they had renovated into a more liveable arear, “Rey” he called to her as she scurried across the sand propelling herself into his lap as she curled up comfortably against him. Pressing his nose to her hair as they both watched the sun setting, “who was the old man?” she asked quietly shifting so that she was looking up at him waiting patiently for him to reply as he mostly always did when she asked a question. Unsure on how to reply he stayed quietly hoping that her curious thoughts would stay quiet and forget about the strange encounter, “Ben” she muttered wanting him to answer her. “Fine” a heavy sigh left his lips giving out under the gaze of the small ten year old, “he use to be a friend of my families in the past” he murmured as a pit of guilt built up within him when ever he mentioned the notion of family to the small girl.

“Family like me and you?” she asked again tilting her head as she watched him closely, “yes like me and you, but before we met, long before” he admitted holding her a little closer to him. 

“Oh…” she mumbled going quiet as she processed his words slowly, “so is he bad?” she asked wondering why he’d acted so harshly to the man offered them food.

Debating what to say he shrugged, “maybe, I don’t know yet…” his words felt heavy as the thought of his family finding out that he was still alive after being gone for so long. “I hope he is, then we can have more food” the small girl reasoned making him chuckle at her words, “I guess food wouldn’t be to bad” he laughed before reaching to tickle her sides eliciting and array of laughter from the smaller body.


	4. from darkness to light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> two face long since past.
> 
> a hand to guide.  
> a voice to teach.

Focusing on the rock in front of her, Rey held her hand out trying with all her might to make the rock move.  
She’d heard the stories of the Jedi from San Tekka the last time her and Ben had travelled there to see the old man, falling into a state of fascination at the thought a group of people being so in tune with an invisible force that flowed through everything. 

“Come on… come on!” she gritted desperate for something to happen, “please work.” She pleaded to the air as her arm began to ache from being held out for so long.

“It’ll never work that way..” a woman spoke up from behind startling the pre-teen, turning round she saw a woman surrounded by a light blue haze. “What are..” the girl was lost as she tried to work out who or what the strange figure was, “you were to distracted, if your looking to try and harness your abilities to wield the force than you have to have a clear mind” the woman explained taking a few steps forward until she stood beside Rey as the young girl stared in awe at the mysterious stranger, “if you’re trying to move the rock you’ve got to feel the force that surrounds the rock once you do that you manipulate it to move the rock the way you want it to be moved, go on try again” the woman encouraged signalling for Rey to try again. Reaching her arm out she followed the instructions carefully clearing her mind as she reached out to feel for the force that surrounded them, after feeling the gentle pull of something she imagined the rock floating her minded like how she heard the Jedi could do in the stories Ben always refused to let her hear.

“Open your eyes Rey” the ladies calming voice spoke up coaxing her to open her eyes as she grinned at the sight awaiting her, the rock was floating subtly a couple feet from where it had been resting as it began to slowly sink back to the ground as her focus began to break, excitement filling up inside her quickly before she let out an enthusiastic cry. “YES! I did it I really did it!” she giggling jumping in the air, the woman smiled chuckling at the younglings excitement, “yes.. yes you did Rey” the woman smiled admiring the child like innocence emanating from the girl, “thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” her words of thanks getting jumbled together as she raced to try and embrace the mysterious woman, the woman only felt like lightness making Rey hold onto her tighter. Smiling at the youngling the woman cooed softly brushing her hand through the younglings hair, “I was only wanting to help Rey is all” she murmured sensing that they were being watched she looked up to see a familiar figure before smiling and nodding her head.

“What’s your name?” the little youngling looked up to ask the kind lady curious as to why someone would help a scavenger, “my name is Padme” the woman revealed as she sensed the presence of her grandson getting closer to them, “Rey you must promise not to tell Ben that you’ve seen me… he’ll be so upset if he sees me” Padme warned the young girl sensing the young man getting closer and closer to them. “I promise” was the quick response before they heard Ben calling out for Rey, “over here” was her response as she turned away from the kind lady hoping her brother wouldn’t see them together, “quick Ben’s coming this way if you hurry he won’t..” she began saying only to see the woman gone as Ben soon appeared in sight of where the youngling was standing on her own.

“I was worried one of Unkar’s goons had nabbed you” he sighed wrapping his arms around her as she stared over his shoulder at where Padme had just been standing, “they didn’t get me don’t worry” she murmured confused as to what had just happened, was the nice lady real or was she all inside of Rey’s mind?

A crash could be heard from the inside of the old star freighter as Ben cursed aloud some what glad Rey was on the other side of the ship and unable to hear him.

“That looked like it hurt” a voice spoke up amongst the sounds of Ben’s curses scaring him into silence as he held out his blaster aiming at the intruder. 

“Wow easy there sharp shooter you could take some ones head off with that thing” the man that stood before him with his arms held up in surrender, looking at him in shock Ben almost dropped the blaster that he was holding, “hi Ben” the ghost spoke up with a small smile at his grandson, “it’s been a while hasn’t” he continued looking round where the pair were. “Did you really have to pick a planet covered in sand I mean common what is with people and sand” the ghost hissed as he commented on his dislike for the surface of the planet, “how are you here? You can’t be here I cut myself off from the force I shouldn’t be able to you” the young man chocked seeing his grandfather for a second time in less than a decade.

Shrugging his shoulder the force spirit of Anakin Skywalker began moving round as if he were actually the room alive and breathing, “because like I promised I’d come back if ever you needed me” he explained looking over the internal working of the freighter with a shake of his head, “plus you never cut yourself from the force only from the hold that the darkness had over you… you’ve always been connected to the light even if you didn’t think you were” he explained as carefully as possible.  
Thinking over the dead mans words he contemplated what that meant for him, “if your saying that whatever was trying to tempt me and control me is now gone does that mean I can go home?” his voice was shaky as he spoke the possibility of seeing his family again made his stomach do flips as the thought of seeing everyone rushed into his system. The spirit said nothing as he looked around once more to where they were, “I thought you called this place home, I mean you made it both yours and Rey’s home” he questioned hoping to make the news a little easier to hear for the young man, he froze thinking to the small girl who he’d fostered as his sibling close on eight years prior, “I would bring her with me… mom always wanted a little girl to fuss over” he explained nostalgically thinking of how his mother would braid his hair and in turn teach him to braid her own.

Letting out a pained sigh Anakin stepped closer to his grandson admiring how similar his features reminded him of all the women in his life from his own mother to his daughter, yet he could pick out the parts that made him a Solo. “I’m sorry Ben… I truly am” he murmured looking away as not to see the pained look that befell the young mans face, “they’re not hurt are they, my parents their okay aren’t they?” the distant fear that his absence had put his family in danger even if there were some members he to bothered with, the fear of his best friends life being in trouble for something that he did suddenly haunted him as he looked to his grandfather in search of some answer.

“No force no… they are okay, your father seems more bitter since you disappeared and your mother seems desperate to believe your still alive, Luke it’s hard to tell there’s a cloud of darkness that surrounds him stopping me from talking to him” he explained watching as relief spread across his only grandchild’s features, “and my friend Poe… I know there’s some slight connection to the force with him, could you tell if he was okay?” Ben all but pleaded with the ghost remembering the pull between the pair when they’d last seen one another, it had taken him so long to realise what that pull was but by the time he knew it was already too late.

“He mourns you” the spirit replied, it all but broke Ben’s heart. 

“Still searches the stars for any chance of you being alive… I’m surprised that he hasn’t found this place yet but you did literally pick the planet in the middle of nowhere” he joked trying to lift the poor boys heart, “I should of told him…” Ben murmured looking down in shame, “you said you were sorry what for? Why can’t I go home with my sister?” he demanded a sudden burst of energy rushing in his veins as he began feeling the force surrounding him more clearly. 

“Because there is a danger coming Ben.. one that will kill you the moment you go back… the dark side is growing stronger and if whatever it is that is effecting it senses that you are still alive than all hope is lost” Anakin tried to make him see reason before a thought came to mind, “here let me show you something” he beckoned Ben to step closer as he reached out his hand for the young man to take hold of.

Slowly the world around them began to vanish as flashes of images crossed Ben’s mind the moment, he made contact with his grandfather’s hand.

Suddenly his own voice filled his ears but there was something odd about it, something all most inhuman about it.

‘I’ll show them the power of the darkness’ 

‘no one will stand in our way’

Flashes of his father falling into oblivion, of the dark figure staring over at a stormtrooper with blood smeared on his helmet, then of him fighting a girl who reminded him of Rey. There were images of his mother dying and the dark figure torturing an older version of Poe. 

Oh Poe. How could this happen.

“ENOUGH!” he screamed lurching away from the spirit of his grandfather, he struggled for breath as he desperately fought to rid himself of the images of Poe’s face, “please… please tell me that isn’t real” he begged praying that whatever it was that he’d just been shown wasn’t real, “it was in a different time, in a different place… but that is just one of the many possibilities that will come to pass if you return too early” Anakin warned him with a stern look on his face. Thinking hard over what had transpired, would he really turn if he went back, would he really be forced to hurt his family so much that it killed them, would he really be forced to torture the one person who stood by his side growing up as a child.

“What must I do?”


	5. Rest now there is much to do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben is told to rest for there is much work to do.

“Again” Padme’s voice carried in the wind as Rey tried balancing her rod with metal buckets half filled with sand. It had been weeks since the kind lady appeared offering to teach Rey to find balance with the power that was inside of her, “I don’t understand how does this help me” Rey groaned, her slim arms struggling to hold up the weights, shaking her head Padme smiled fondly at the youngling, “the Jedi of old would train to find balance in the force, once balance is achieved then the person may decide on how they want to wield their abilities” she explained stepping forward to push one side of the rod high so that it was better balanced. 

Rey huffed clearing her mind so that she could focus better on keeping track of her balance, “how do you know so much about the Jedi?” she suddenly questioned the thought coming to her as the sun began to hang low in the sky, their time was running out for the day, Ben would soon be done with whatever it was that he did most afternoons once they’d returned with their supplies. Taking a deep breath Padme knew better than to hide the truth from the girl, she’d watched how the small child was able to get her grandson to open when only one other person had been able to in the past, “I was married to a Jedi, some of my closest friends were Jedi’s… I was there when the Old Republic fell to the control of the Empire..” the words passed by her lips as if recounting what had happened but days ago, Rey paused over the mention of the Empire. Ben had mentioned it once by mistake and San Tekka mentioned it frequently whenever he retold the tales of the rebellion and its leaders Princess Leia Organa and the Jedi knight Luke Skywalker, Ben always looked sad when he heard those stories being told.

“My children trained as Jedi, well the eldest did, but my daughter…. my sweet girl, she stopped not long after her son was born.” The spirit looked away to the setting sun a sad smile on her face as she spoke about her children, “they sound amazing” Rey grinned trying to make the kind lady feel better. “They are remarkable” Padme sighed heavy hearted with the guilt she never had the chance to properly meet them, turning away she focused back on the youngling still balancing the buckets of sand, “I say that’s enough for today, your arms will fall off if keep going any longer” she chuckled as the small girl let out a sigh of relief before un-ceremonially dropping the two buckets.

Laughing at the girls antics Padme stepped closer helping her down from the small dune of sand she’d turned into her podium for practise, “you did much better today I dare say you’ll know more than I do by your next name day” she chuckled praising the girl who grinned at the spirit, “Ben meditates at night so I copy him maybe that is why I’m getting better?” the comment was followed with a cheeky grin. 

“I dare say that might be the case then” Padme couldn’t help but smile at the girl, how bright her spirit was even in a place like this, she had to give credit to her grandson for making sure that never changed in the child.

Feeling a change in the force both females looked around until their eyes landed on a second spirit, “there’s been a change, we have to leave now” the man held out his hand with a worried look on his face, nodding Padme turned to the little girl beside her. “Remember Rey, with balance comes strength but you must always always maintain balance” she warned the girl cupping her cheek with her hand, “be strong sweet Rey, have faith in your brother and the force” she murmured before turning away heading towards her husbands out stretched.

“Can we not stay… I feel guilty having to leave her” Padme mumbled softly watching the child go to retrieve her rod, “you’ve done all you could, we just have to wait and see what the coming days hold for them both” was all he replied with before they disappeared leaving in the wake of their grandchild’s calls for his sibling.

Ben was silent as he felt the screams of innocent student’s he’d once studied with turned to nothing.

His grandfather had been right, something changed, and the darkness became stronger than ever as he felt the disturbance as the force shifted to mourn the deaths of more of its children. He knew Rey could sense it as well as she squirmed in her bed struggling to block out the crying souls, “Ben!” she cried desperation in her voice as he ignored his own pain to care for her own pain. “I’m here… its okay…. Listen to my voice okay block out everything else okay” he murmured brushing his hand through her hair, she cried still scared by what was happening to them when even she couldn’t see what was happening. “Ben it hurts” she whimpered clutching at her ears to make the echoing sounds go away, feeling his heart ache at the sound of her pain he brought down his shield and allowed his mind to wrap itself around hers blocking out the mental attack so that she was spared from the pain.

Slowly coaxing her into a gentle sleep, he sighed still cradling her in his arms as he allowed himself to take the brunt of onslaught. He begged the force to have mercy on them, unsure as to why it was doing this to them.

“Because the time to fight is nearing, and you must be strong enough to stand up against the dark” his grandfathers voice echoed in his ears, lifting his head up he saw the ghostly figure of Anakin staring down at the pair in pity, “how can I if I’m stuck out here” he pleaded for an answer unsure on what to do now the Jedi had fallen once more. “You will train… with my help and the help of the Jedi of old you will learn our ways to strengthen yourself against the growing threat” the spirit explained in a solemn tone. Feeling Rey shift in his arms he looked down at the content look of her sleeping face as he looked back to his grandfather, “what about Rey? I can’t abandon her… I won’t abandon her, she’s my sister I won’t leave her behind” he tried to argue in fear that he’d be told to leave her alone.

“You won’t have too” a gentler voice appeared as a woman appeared at his grandfathers side her hair long and curled delicately. He’d only ever seen holopictures of her, but he knew the woman instantly, “Grandmother” his voice broke as she knelt in front of him reaching out to cradle in head in her hands. Smiling at her grandson, she let her eyes scan over the young man’s face seeing every titbit that was her daughter before seeing the small signs of the man that her daughter had married, “we are so very proud of you, Ben, you’ve been so strong these past few years” she praised him knowing that it was one of the things he’d been neglected since he’d left his mother and father to follow after his uncle. “I am so proud of you for stepping up and doing the right thing even when the cost has been so high” she cooed softly as he closed his eyes basking in the soothing calm that reminded him so much of his mother when he was a child, “but we need you to be strong for a little longer, your uncle was corrupted and now we’re all asking for your help Ben… it’s so unfair that we’ve had to ask this of you but please Ben you are our last hope” she spoke softly the guilt of what they were asking heavy in her words. Every sense of reason argued for him to turn away and tell them no, to tell them to find some other sad soul to pass on this fate that had been a curse to his family for nearly three generations, but then there was another part of him the part that was both Skywalker and Solo living in harmony balancing one another out, that was telling him to follow through and finish what his family had started.  
Looking back at the small girl in his arms he let out a heavy sigh meeting his grandmother’s eyes before slowly nodding his head, “I’ll do it, but only if I can stay with Rey… I’ve already left so much of my family behind if I leave her than what point is there” he requested keeping his voice level so not to let his fears be known to the two spirits. Awaiting their judgement, he reached out into Rey’s mind seeing her dream of flying away from Jakku with him as her co-pilot, he smiled at the dream seeing the shining child like innocence that he had lost so long ago.

“I will continue teaching her to be balanced… there won’t be any need to leave one another” Padme spoke up seeing the relief wash over Ben’s life force, she pitied all he’d had to give up to be where he is today but she swore it would be worth it in the end. The force will find balance once more and then they could rest in peace.

“Rest now Ben, there is much to do” his grandfather spoke as he felt the subtly pull of sleep lulling him away into his dreams.


	6. A Story of a Pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is quick to catch.  
> And Ben isn't sure he's ready for it yet.

A pair of figures emerged from the fallen imperial star ship.

The youngest of the pair removed her wraps revealing the features of an older Rey fully fledged from her teen years, the years of sun and sand etched into her along with the extra training over the past few years, taking the canteen that her brother held out to her, she drank quickly but scarcely careful not to drink more than her own fill.   
Steadily the eldest led the way down to the metal slate they used to ride down the dune to where they had parked the newly modified speeder, “we’ll have to come back tomorrow for the rest of the parts” Ben muttered as he strapped down their hoard. “Agreed, if I’m careful I can climb up and get those components that you spotted earlier” she replied swiftly starting the engine as she waited for her brother to join her before speeding off across the desert heading for Niima outpost, the wind blowing in the siblings faces as they rode across the harsh terrain past several other scavengers who were also making their way back to the outpost to trade their wares.

Skidding to a halt clouds of sand formed around them as those nearby hissed at the pair of human siblings. Rey growled at one of them, it was always like this for them as she got older the bolder some of the other residents of Niima Outpost got. “Behave.” Ben warned tugging at her arm as he led the way through towards Unkar Plutt, “that should all be worth at least one portion” Rey murmured as she looked over what they’d scavenged seeing some promising results, “I agree, he’ll be cutting it close if he tries anything less” Ben sighed seeing how slimmer she’d gotten over the past few weeks since Plutt started cutting back on portion worth, the pair were strong both mentally and physically but even the most basic of human needs made them feel less mystical and more human. “Stop worrying I’m fine… just focus on something like the fact San Tekka has been signalling to us for the past few minutes and you’ve been ignoring him” she said with a matter of fact tone in her voice making him role his eyes at her before searching for the old man, sure enough there he was signalling only for him to come over. Turning back to Rey he passed off his bag to her, “stay… I won’t be long” he told her before turning back to make his way over to the elderly man.

The man wore a solemn look on his face as the younger man approached him ducking his head in greeting, “it’s been too long Amidala…” he announced as Ben let out a puff of air, “been a little busy lately you know how Unkar can get when business is slow” he replied swiftly watching as the man checked his surroundings before beckoning him to follow as they moved away to a more secluded area. “I have news, important news… your mother is sending one of her pilots to retrieve some important information” the man explained catching the young Solo’s attention instantly at the mention of his mother, “what do you mean important information?” he hissed looking round before stepping closer lowering his voice. “What are you hiding from me Lor Tekka?” he pushed for an answer, “know this Ben Amidala, I have only kept this to myself for a few moon cycles until I received word from your mother, I did not do it out of spite or fear in how you would react… the information I carry is that of the location of your missing uncle” the aging man explained to him startling him into silence as he mulled over what had been said, his uncle the very man he could sense the darkness that once haunted him, the very man who ran when Sith forces destroyed his Jedi temple. “Where did you find it?” Ben muttered slowly getting over the shock as he tried to search for more answers, “that does not matter now… what matters is that the time for hiding is over… the pilot your mother has sent goes by the name of Commander Dameron, he will be arriving tonight, you and the girl must be there to return with him” the elder man argued trying as he might to get the young Jedi to agree with him.

Turning away Ben ran his hand through his hair growling at the thought of leaving. Was this it? Was this the sign his grandfather had warned him about so often whilst training him, was this the forces way of saying it was time for his fight to begin.

The thought of his sister then crossed his mind as dread filled the pit of his stomach at the thought of pulling her into this fight even if this was what his grandparents and the Jedi of old had been preparing them for, Rey never fully understood her abilities. She never knew that is was truly her wielding the force no matter how many time she accomplished using it over the years, she still believed the story of the Jedi to be myths and legends told to her by both Lor San Tekka and many of the travellers that passed through the outpost, still believed that the visits from his grandmother and Obi Wan were only to help her grow stronger in case the worse ever happened to Ben. The truth was Ben never had the heart to tell her that she was just as cursed as he was, that if he failed then all hope would fall to her, which was why Ben tried so hard so that in the end the fight would always be his and that she would never have to go through what he has to protect the galaxy.

“Keep your map, the time isn’t right.. let them see the failure that my uncle has become… I will not allow myself or my sister to be used as weapons in his place” he stated sending one final look to the old man before leaving him to stand on his own.

“I got the portions!” Rey called to him as he approached her and their speeder, holding them out to him as she tried to hide her disappointment from him, “he traded us less again, didn’t he?” he spoke seeing her look down before nodding slowly, he sighed yet another night of going to bed with near empty stomachs he thought. “Come let’s go home” he said lifting her up till she was on the speeder before hoisting himself up letting her drive them both back to the AT-AT that they called home.

\------------------------------------

He was chasing after the taller boy through the forest trees, the distant sound of his uncles growls calling after them in warning not to go to far, but neither boy listened as they ran to their hearts content.

He suddenly tripped his vision meeting ground in an instant.   
“Ben!” a voice almost screamed as the sound of fast paced footsteps approached him before he felt himself being lifted up into the lap of his friend as their eyes searched for any signs of damage, “say something! Are you hurt? Can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?” the older boy pleaded going as far as holding three fingers up for the youngster to see.

“Your it” was the whisper that fell from the young boys lips before he was up and out of his friends arms slinking away into the forestry as the sounds of surprise left his friend before he began pursuing the younger boy, “I’m gonna get you for that Solo!” he exclaimed chasing after the laughter that screeched from the younger child’s mouth, “NEVER!” he yelped speeding up to avoid being caught. They looped round through the trees, circling the Falcon and it’s crew multiple times before eventually the two boys came to a halt out of energy and breath, “I win” the young Solo huffed falling to the floor once more as he fought to catch his breath once more. The eldest fell to his knees beside him huffing and puffing to get air into his lungs, “cheater… you tricked me” he wheezed out looking at his friend in the corner of his eye. Ben growled before lunging from where he lay at the boy making them both tumble to the floor as they played, rolling around trying to get the upper hand on one another till finally Ben was on top using his strength to hold Poe’s arms down from nearly hitting him, “I win again” he grinned as Poe surrendered laying his head back on the ground as he grinned at the smaller boy.

“Will you let me up if I agree with your answer?” Poe chuckled as the youngster nodded released his hold on his friend’s arms. “You put up a fair fight my friend” he grinned shoving Ben off of him as he leapt to his feet dusting himself off before holding his hand out as a sign of peace, “still beat you” Ben smiled getting to his feet quickly, the pair could tell it was getting darker as the birds in the trees began to go quieter as they settled for the night. “We should head back, your dad and Chewie maybe wondering what happened to us” Poe reasoned before taking hold of the shorter boys hand leading the way back to where the Millennium Falcon had been landed.

“There they are Chewie see their smarter than they look” Han’s voice bellowed with laughter at the sight of the two boys, “come on you womp rats Chewie wants to start on dinner so we can get back for when your mom gets back from her meeting” he gestured for the pair to hurry on into the Falcon. “I outran Poe, did you see Dad!” Ben smiled with glee at the notion of beating the older boy, Poe huffed knowing the youngster wouldn’t be letting go of it for the next few weeks, “sure did kiddo, very impressive” Han chuckled happy to see the smile on his son’s face.

“I’ll beat you next time…” Poe murmured as Chewie made the pair change out of the mud-covered clothes, “sure you will” Ben smirked chucking his mud-covered shirt at his friend making him squeal.

\--------------------------------------------

Leaping from his bunk, he could feel the sensation of happiness left over from the dream, it had been years since he’d dreamt of his past, let alone his friend.

Poe.

They had pretty much planned their futures together, neither one leaving the others side. How foolish they’d been as children.  
But now, now Poe was here on Jakku, Ben wasn’t sure if he was still here or if he had already left carrying the location of his missing uncle back to his mother. He wished he’d agreed to be there to see him, oh how he wished he didn’t have to listen to the stupid force and leave his best friend. 

‘It’ll be worth it’ his grandfather once said when he had started questioning why he couldn’t go home to his family after spending a year relearning everything his uncle was meant to teach him but hadn’t gotten around too.

“Tell me a story” his sister’s voice cut through the silence of the night, turning his gaze he could see her sitting up in her bunk blankets scrunched up at her feet as she held her legs up to her chest as she always did whenever she couldn’t sleep, “what about?” he murmured shifting to make room for her as she slipped from her bed into his. “Tell me the story of the pilot again” she asked making him chuckle as he pulled her into his side before she shifted so her head was in his lap letting undo and redo her braids he always put in when it was time to sleep. 

“There was a pilot who scowed the starry skies in search of a place to call his own….” And the story told itself, it was a story made for a small child by a young boy missing his family, it was story he’d wished to live out if things had been different. He spoke of the pilot able to sense people’s feelings, who able to fly speeders better than any grown up alive, could out flew even the best of pilots in the new Republics air force. “Did he ever find the Prince?” Rey asked when he went quiet for a moment as he thought over how his dear friend would be like, “eventually… but the Prince had an important job to do first, he had to make sure his kid sister was looked after and that their destiny was fulfilled before he could see the pilot again.” He smiled at the thought of going home, “I hope the Prince tells the pilot how he feels” she yawns curling up more as she tried to stay awake for him, “What do you mean?” he muttered confused by what she was trying to suggest, “well the prince was sad to leave the pilot and the pilot still keeps looking for the prince even though the prince had to leave to protect the kingdom… so obviously they both have feelings for each other even though they haven’t seen each other for so long, the bond between must be really strong for them to still care for each other after so long” her voice going quite as she struggled to fight off sleep any longer. “Sleep” he mumbled brushing his hand across her forehead nudging her into unconsciousness letting himself sit in silence debating over what she had been saying. 

Shifting to lay her back in bed, he pulled on his cloak before disappearing into the sand to watch the stars.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed letting the rush of the force overtake him as he reached out against his own better judgement in search for Poe. “I’m here… please hear me…” he whispered across the night sky, “please I’m still here” he pleaded into the air desperate for the feeling of his friends mind like it had been when he’d last seen him.

“Ben…”


	7. A grave for the innocent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben goes in search of his friend leading him to dig a grave.  
> The force is slowly reawakening as all who can sense it begin to prepare.

Darkness. That’s all he felt.  
Darkness.  
And yet it wasn't coming from the voice but from around it, Ben knew he need to find his friend. He’d cried when he’d heard the voice even though it was deeper than when he last heard it, he still knew who it belonged too. How relieved he was to hear his friend was still alive, yet he sounded so pained when he’d heard the pilot say his name.  
“You’ll have to go on your own?” he muttered as he watched his sister collecting her flask and Rod, pausing in her movements she looked at him studying his posture noticing the tension in his shoulders, “what is it? What happened?” she spoke softly approaching him placing her hand on his shoulder trying to get him to look at her in the eye. Shaking his head he took hold of her hand sighing, “I’m not sure I just need to go check on something please just go out without me today” he told as she sighed knowing there was no point trying to argue with him once he’d made up his mind on something, “Just be careful please… and be home for dinner” she muttered stepping away before leaving him alone.

Waiting for her to be at a safe distance he slipped out of the AT-AT moving out towards one of the back compartments in the left leg that was safely buried under the sand. Focusing closely he felt the gentle thrum of the force at his fingertips. The sand parted clearing a small area to the hidden compartments, with a final look around Ben moved forward yanking open the compartment to reveal a small wooden box that seemed to vibrate with the force almost making Ben’s head spin at the sensation. Pulling the box from its hiding place into his lap, he took a deep breath before opening the lid revealing to the world what he’d buried away for the past sixteen years. The gleam of the metal reflected showing the weapon to have been almost frozen in time, unchanged since the day he placed it into the box.

Taking the weapon into his hand he turned it overlooking carefully as the memories of the past filled his mind so easily. Clipping it to his belt he got up brushing the sand back into place before turning in the direction of the settlement of the church of the force where Lor San Tekka resided with the rest of those who followed his religion. Ignoring the ache in the back of his mind as he trekked across the fields of sand, the blasts of wind being a reminder of how hostile the planet was to those who resided on it. 

“Ben….” The gentle whisper in the back of his mind as if pleading for him, “I hear you… Poe… I hear you” he spoke back waiting for a response that never came, leaving him with an empty feeling that fuelled his endeavour.  
Seeing smoke in the sky, he ran in search of the cause praying that everything was okay that his mind was only playing tricks when he reached out searching for signs of life when nothing came up. The smell of burning flesh filled his nose the closer he got to the settlement seeing no signs of life making his stomach drop when he saw the home of the follows on fire. “Lor Tekka? Lor Tekka?” he called run-ning between the huts seeing no one in any of them until he reached the centre of the settlement see-ing the bodies of innocents lying of the floor covered in blaster blasts. 

‘Stormtroopers’ his brain clicked to what had happened, ‘there was an ambush..’ bile rose in his throat as he tried to look away when he saw the beheaded body of Tekka a little ways away from all the others. Looking round he noticed a destroyed X-wing off to the edge of the huts, stepping closer to it he could make out the insignia of the Resistance like that of the New Republic that he had grown up seeing so often. It was Poe’s ship. He could sense the residual energy left by the pilot surrounding the destroyed, at first he feared that Poe hadn’t actually made but when he reached out in the force he could sense him, the bright light that burned fiercely against the pitch black that held it captive. “I’ll find you, Poe… please just hold on” he breathed out praying to the force that his words would reach the man, however the force had it’s own plans in respects to the commander in the form of a lone stormtrooper questioning his loyalties to the First Order.

Checking round once for any signs of whether the transaction of information had taken place, Ben went about digging graves for the dead showing a final sign of respect that they had all been denied in the form of their deaths. The feeling of anger burned in the pit of his stomach as he tried to fight down the thoughts it was giving him. “Stop it” his Grandfathers voice filled his ears as he glanced up to see the man standing across the graves from him, “I’m trying believe me I am but look what they’ve done, if I’d left when I had wanted to this never would of happened” he argued sending a glare at the spirit who shook his head at him, “Snoke would have sensed you instantly and tempted you without a second thought this would have still happened as it always does nothing can change it… but what you can do is keep a levelled head and go home… the time is coming Ben, both you and your sister have to be ready when it does” he warned him with a heavy sigh. Looking away from the Jedi the spirit looked across the horizon sensing the shift in the force, “there has been an awakening have you felt it” he murmured knowing that all who were force sensitive could also feel what they were feeling. 

“What do you mean? Is that what the pull in the back of my mind is?” the dark hair Jedi stepped forward around the graves, “your sister does she know you have that?” the spirit ignored his grandchild’s questions instead pointing to the lightsabre that hung from his hip, “no… I could never bring myself to tell her” he spoke quietly ashamed of how much of a coward he was hiding most of his life from her. “Better tell her soon… none of the women in our family like things being kept from them” Anakin chuckled shaking his head as Ben sent him a shocked look, “Is Rey..” he tried to ask as the spirit nodded, “you raised her Ben, both of you have been calling each other Brother and Sister since the first week of knowing each other, she is family whether she knows it or not… it should help her get past her grief in being left here” Anakin explained seeing the man beside look away for a moment before back at him, “will I be able to keep her safe?” he asked his voice seemed weak as the fear of losing his family was strong inside of him, “no, but that is how people grow… you’ve done all you can for her Ben, it’s time for you both to move forward” he stated before slowly vanishing leaving the Jedi to think over everything. “Son of a Bantha” he hissed shaking his head at the dead man before walking back over to the ship checking around it for any clues, he could the ship needed a droid but couldn’t find any destroyed droid parts meaning two things, either Poe sent the droid away during the attack or it was captured along with it’s human counterpart. Checking the sand for any unfamiliar tracks he noticed a line travelling through the sand heading away from the settlement heading back towards Niima outpost and Rey’s and his home, “of course he’d send the droid away…” Ben shook his head smiling at the thought of his friend changing so little as his love for droids seemed to stay with him even into adulthood.

Sending one last look to the graves he’d dug he slowly turned and began the trek home noticing how low the sun was starting to get as he knew Rey would have finished and be at the outpost trading for rations by now. Keeping an eye on the trail left in the sand he followed it across the dunes hoping it would led to the droid that could help save his friend.


	8. tears of the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a small orange and white droid brings tears to Ben's eyes.

She could sense him before he could. Rey jumped in shock as she looked for a way to hide the little droid whom she allowed to follow her home after having a run in with a Teedo, “you have to be really quiet whilst I talk with my brother okay…” she murmured hiding the little droid in her bunk under her blankets in hope Ben wouldn’t notice him.

Stepping outside she took notice of how dark it was as she saw the approaching figure of her brother, “your late” she stated sending him a glare as he flashed her an apologetic smile, “missed dinner didn’t I” he sighed as she turned away heading back inside as he followed after her watching as she retrieved the last scraps of the meal she had made for them both. “Thank you” he murmured before stuffing the food into his mouth remembering how his mother would probably be scolding him for forgetting his manners, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost” Rey watched as the man gulped down the last of his water to wash down his meal, he shrugged pacing back his plate. “San Tekka is dead” he spoke with remorse shocking her as she froze at the mention of the aging man, he’d always been kind to them even when Ben showed reluctance, there were many a night she was thankful for knowing the man after going to bed with a full belly of food.

“How?” she questioned watching as he shifted her heart picking up when she saw he was nearly in sight of her bunk where the droid was hidden, “from what I could see the whole settlement were killed execution style by a group of stormtroopers..” he told her before she butted in, “Bucket heads here on Jakku” she tilted her head in curiosity and slight fear after hearing the stories of the stormtroopers from the old Empire. He smiled a little at her adaption of his and Poe’s childhood nickname for the soldiers, “they most likely caught wind that one of the Resistance pilots were here to retrieve some information” he explained as she looked behind him making him frown at her change of focus, “I recognised the ship that was destroyed there, they were like the ones that were stationed at the base that I lived at before I came here” he told making her head snap to him as a look of curiosity crossed her face. “The pilot story…” she murmured connecting the dots to the old story she had practically been raised on by him, “I had a friend who wanted to be a pilot… apparently Lor San Tekka still had connections to my old life, brought up the fact that a pilot from the resistance had been sent here to collect information from him… it was my friend that they sent” he sighed as he began to let her see a part of him he’d tried to bury away.

“Did you find the pilot?” she asked her eyes flicking once again to behind him, “no… I didn’t find my friend… I can’t be sure if he actually got away or if he was really captured by the first order” he explained her as the thought had been bringing him even more doubt whilst he was journeying back to her earlier. Suddenly a whirring sound occurred behind him as his back was hit by something, Rey yelped, “I told you not to come out till I told him about you!” she glared at the little droid as Ben studied it closely before smiling a little, “of course he sent the droid away” he murmured running his hand across the Astromech’s metal plating. The little droid gave a small beep that sounded so sad it hurt Ben to hear it, “don’t worry we’ll help you” he said aloud electing a huff from the girl behind him. “Can you get a name out of him; he won’t say only that it’s classified” she muttered moving to kneel beside him as she watched the two interact, “he says his name is BB-8 and that he is thankful for you helping him earlier” he translated to the girl after a few words shared between him and the droid, “your welcome BB-8” she smiled a little at the droid who beeped happily at the scavenger.

He found himself once more outside under the stars whilst his sister was tucked away safe in her bunk. He was searching for Poe again, desperate to know where he was, “come on you git… where are you” he murmured when he couldn’t sense where the missing pilot was. The sounds of curious beeps sounded from his side drawing his attention to the white and orange droid that had joined him, “thought you were keeping an eye on Rey” he chuckle as the droid beeped again rolling closer to the Jedi. “You really suit Poe” Ben smiled sadly messing with the slightly out of shape antenna on top of the droids head, the droid thanked him before pausing at the mention of his pilot, he turned looking the human over before asking how the human knew Poe.

“We grew up together… he was my best friend, we used to do everything together when we weren’t being dragged every where by our parents, you know we both were going to be pilots… that was our big plan to get a ship and fly off force knows where and find a planet that nobody else had ever found” he chuckled feeling at ease as he spoke to the little droid. His face became sad as he looked up at the stars, “but then things changed, and I ended up leaving… I didn’t want to leave truth be told not really, I wanted to go tell anyone who would listen that the Sith were trying to corrupt me and that the only thing keeping me from it was my father and… my… and Poe… I couldn’t turn against any of my family really, I use to always think I was doing it for both my parents but thinking back now my mother must have always known that there had been darkness in me” he retold what had happened surprising himself with how much he was telling the little droid who he had only known for a few hours. Letting out a few beeps and whirls the small droid speed to be in front of the sad man before projecting an image for him that Poe had given to him the day before.

His heart almost stopped when he saw the image.

It was the map. The final co-ordinates to where his uncle had run off too. 

Poe had given them to the droid, that’s why he’d sent it away. Oh, what a brilliant man, the Jedi thought grinning at the sight. For once he thought of his uncle and didn’t sneer. Maybe he didn’t have to worry about him and Rey getting dragged into whatever fight was heading their way, maybe if they could get his uncle back the old man could repentant for abandoning his sister by destroying the Sith once and for all. 

“You brilliant little droid!” he grinned patting the droids head, “he’d be proud of you” he told the droid who beeped and whirled happily at the praise. He then moved back shutting off the projection before projecting something that Poe had made him download the first few days of knowing the droid.

This really made Ben’s heart stop. How Poe still had the image amazed him.

In front of him was a holovid of the two boys when they were children smiling brightly, ‘smile boys’ the distant sound of his fathers voice echoed from the holo as both boys reacted by putting on their brightest smiles.   
He reached out letting his fingers fall through the two boys, smiling he felt tears welling in his eyes. He missed his home, he missed his father and his uncles, he missed his mother and her intricate braids she would wear, he had missed his friend. He let himself cry; it had been years since the night he felt his fellow students dying that he cried he locked away every thought that could bring him to tears but this. This image his friend had carried with him for close on two decades made him wail as if someone had stabbed him.

The droid was startled by the human’s reaction moving to shut off the holo he only froze when the man’s voice shouted for him not too. “Please leave it on… its been so long since I’ve seen him” the man’s voice was quiet as he pleaded with the little droid not to take the image away from him.

Ben stared at it, watching it repeatedly until finally the force was saddened by him enough that him that pushed him to sleep letting the little droid shut down to reserve his power cells.  
That was how the young girl found her brother and the droid, asleep in the sand, her brothers face still red from his tears.


	9. A new friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so destiny calls to Ben as he goes in search of a ship to fly them away.  
> To bad their being chased by Tiefighters.

The trio arrived at Niima outpost, if the pilot had escaped being captured by the first order he most likely would have ended up here if he was smart, which he was according to both Ben and BB-8, Rey shrugged her shoulders going along with her brother in case he ended up getting himself hurt.

“Here we are” Rey said as she unceremoniously dropped BB-8 from the netting that him onto their speeder, “if your missing pilot ended up anywhere it would be here” she smiled a little as the droid looked round before looking back at her, “don’t worry you wont have to wait much longer trust me if anyone knows about waiting it’s me” she told the little droid ignoring the look she got from her brother as the droid questioned what she meant. “I’m waiting for my family, Ben says their not coming back but I know they will” she stated kneeling down to help untangle the netting that was caught underneath the droid.

Rolling his eyes, he looked around the out post in search of anything out of the ordinary, knowing he would have to go looking he turned back to Rey as she continued explaining how the out post worked to the droid, “I’m going to look around, see if I can find someone with a ship who can get us off this sand rock and get BB-8 back to the resistance” he told her seeing her nod at him, “you do what you normally do so that it doesn’t look suspicious to anyone okay” he reached out to brush against her mind making sure there was still the bond he’d formed through training in case anything happened to her before he turned away and began his search. 

Watching him walk away, Rey sighed signalling for the droid to follow her as she went straight to Unkar to trade the rest of what she had found yesterday. “These five pieces are worth… one half portion” he drooled out before slamming a half portion down, she was getting tired of the lowering of portion worth, she could tell it was causing more and more stress on her brother each day on top of whatever it was that he was dealing with that linked to his past, she felt guilty for being unable top help like she wanted too. “But last week each one of those was worth a half portion each..” she tried to argue desperate to bring back more food for the pair, “what about the droid?” Plutt questioned gesturing to the droid at her side, looking down at the little all she could remember were her brother’s words as he finally opened up about his past, “what about it?” she asked curious as to what Plutt had to say, “I’ll pay…” he seemed to pause before reaching down to retrieve more portions than she ever seen in her entire life. “Sixty portions for the droid” he offered as she lunged forward placing her hands over the portions in a desperate act of gathering them up before she froze.

She couldn’t.  
The droid was the only link she had to her brother’s past, a past he has guarded from her her whole life.  
He would hate her if she traded something so precious to him.

“No, the droid isn’t for trade” she muttered taking the half portion before walking away with the BB unit at her heel.

“I know it’s a bucket of bolts but come on… do you even know what ship this is it’s a Corellian YT-1300 light freighter… it doesn’t deserve to be stuck in a junk yard like this” the Jedi tried to reason with one of Plutt’s goons as they stood just outside the junk yard that had once been full of ships, “the answer is still no, Amidala” the alien growled in basic as Ben run his hand over his face. He was surprised to see the ship even there, always thinking that Rey had been joking when she said there was a YT freighter that Unkar had managed to get his hands on, he should have known better than to believe his father wouldn’t be reckless enough to lose his most prized possession. “Fine, I’ll be back” he brushed off the scowl that had slowly made its way onto his face, “stupid space junk” he sighed glancing one last time at the ship before leaving in search of his sister, weaving through the different stalls he could see the top of Rey’s head before she was being ambushed by two more of Plutt’s goons. “Rey” he shouted speeding up into a fast run as he legged it to his sisters aid, crashing into one of the goons knocking them down as Rey used her staff to beat the other guy down, “you okay?” he asked her helping her up as the two attackers ran off, “I’m okay” she murmured pulling him in for a quick hug as a way of reassuring him that she was fine before letting go to uncover BB-8. 

“You okay?” she asked the droid as he nodded making his usual noises to show he was okay, Ben sighed feeling calmer knowing the two were alright before feeling hairs at the back of his neck stand up as the feeling of them being watched washed over him.

Turning his head slightly he saw a man in dark clothes and a pilot’s jacket watching them, tilting his head he reached out in the force sensing them almost instantly, they seemed tired and exhausted yet curious and relieved at the same time. Taking a step forward he was interrupted by his sister dashing towards the man with what seemed to be the intent to attack him as BB-8 chased after her, “Rey what are you doing?” he shouted after her in frustration as he began following in a hope to stop her from possibly killing the man that had been watching them.

He often forgot how light on her feet Rey was when she had managed to outrun him and knock the man to the ground pointing her staff at him, “Rey what is the meaning of this?” he demanded as he caught up to her taking hold of her upper arm as she looked at him in annoyance, “the droid said that this guy stole the jacket from his master… meaning he stole the jacket from your friend” she growled at the end frustrated that her brother hadn’t been listening to her and BB-8 earlier. “Thief” she stated glaring at the man as BB-8 electrocuted him in the leg, “BB-8” Ben scolded knowing for a fact Poe would have taught the droid some manners, “I’m not a thief!” the man yelped as BB-8 shocked him again. “Then why do you have his master’s jacket!” Rey interrogated pointing her staff closer to his face, “if you stopped accusing me of being a thief for one second I’d really appreciate it please” the man pleaded before being shocked by BB-8 for a third time making him yelp.

“Alright enough the pair of you” Ben raised his voice pulling his sister behind him and shoving BB-8 to the side with his foot, “why do you have that jacket, it belongs to BB-8’s pilot?” Ben questioned staring down at the man as he let a heavy breath throwing his back before looking between him and the droid.

“it belonged to Poe Dameron… that was his name, right?” the unnamed man spoke to the droid before Ben answer. “Yes, and he was a pilot and that jacket according to BB-8 belongs to him so, where is he?” Ben raised his voice again sending another glare at the man. “he was captured by the First Order but then I helped him escape… we were heading back to Jakku when our ship was hit” he explained his gaze turning sympathetic as Ben waited for the next words to come out of the man’s mouth, “Poe didn’t make it” the words shattered Ben’s heart making him take a step back from the man.

“I’m really sorry, I tried to help him, but the First Order were just to strong” his voice was sincere as BB-8 turned to role away, shaking his head Ben followed unsure on how to feel. He felt numb at the notion that Poe could be dead after so long apart he always imagined that he’d get to see him one more time before he died.

“I’m sorry BB-8… I really am” he mumbled kneeling down before the droid as it to seemed to mourn the pilot’s death.

Suddenly their attention was drawn away by the arrival of two stormtroopers not far from them, Ben sent BB-8 to get Rey as he watched the two stormtroopers carefully. They were being pointed in the direction of where Ben and the others were as Rey and the man joined him at his side along with BB-8, “we have to get off this planet” Ben muttered as he sent a look to Rey before the stormtroopers started running in their direction, “follow me” he shouted leading the way as the man tried to take Rey’s hand and run with her only to receive shouts of annoyance from the young girl. “Come on BB-8!” the man shouted as they sprinted away from the blaster fire, Ben trying to find the best way to reach the shipyard without any of them getting hit by the stormtroopers.

“I can run without you holding my hand” he caught on to his sisters protests before leading the trio into one of the abandoned tents. His hand itched to use the lightsabre that hung on his belt undetected by those who surrounded them but he had to remind himself that he couldn’t give away what he was to the First Order, they struggled to catch their breaths as Rey struggled to grasp why all four of them were being shooted at, “why does no one on this blasted planet have any blasters!” the man hissed as he searched for a weapon, Ben took Rey’s hand checking her for any injuries, “are you okay?” he mumbled relaxing when she nodded her head, “we have to get out of here” she stated before the pair were being shushed by the man as they listened closely.

A Tiefighter.  
He remembered the sound of his uncle flying old ones back the base after capturing them during missions whilst he was growing up.

The man took Rey’s hand as they all started running to avoid the air assault that was happening, trying desperately to keep an eye on both his sister and the droid, Ben narrowly missed being hit as a strike landed just behind him blowing all of them into the air before crashing to the floor. Struggling to get up he felt Rey’s hands take hold of his upper arm before helping him to his feet before all of them started legging it to the shipyard still being fired at by the Tiefighters.

All instincts screamed for him to run to the Falcon as he had so many other times before but from the shouting going on between both his sister and the stranger who had joined them, he knew they wouldn’t agree, so instead their raced to try and reach the Quadjumper to get away from the Tiefighter assault. 

Suddenly the ship in front of them exploded as it was hit by one of the fighter blasts, freezing Ben spun to start running towards the Falcon, the blood in his veins pumping in anticipation.

“I guess the garbage will do” his sisters voice being carried over the screeching of the Tiefighter making him hiss turning his head as if she had insulted him, “don’t call it garbage you womp rat” he mouthed off at her before launching himself up the ramp sliding down the corridors of the familiar ship. He could hear the others closely following him. “Gunner rigs down that corridor on your left, gentle on control she can seem rusty at times” he ordered to the new guy, “you ever flown this thing before?” the new guy shouted before Ben sprinted into the cockpit, jumping into his father’s old seat a feeling grew inside of him as he warmed up the engines knowing the freighter hadn’t properly flown since the day Rey came back to him telling him of its arrival on Jakku, “yeah once but I was a kid back then and this thing probably hasn’t flown in years” he shouted back. 

“Come on old girl don’t fail me now!” he pleaded flicking switches and entering launch codes nearly missing how his sister fell into the co-pilot seat watching him in amazement. “You look like you’ve done this your whole life” she muttered going about working the rest of the controls that only the co-pilot could reach, “something like that” he replied spotting the Tiefighter coming closer to them as the engines roared to life, “come on hunny time to get off this dusty rock” he stated pushing forward so they took off zooming past the Tiefighter elegantly, “New guy, you better start aiming that gun or else we’re going down very quickly” he shouted out knowing his voice could be heard down in the gunner seats.

He stirred the ship higher and higher feeling the rush of flying hit him, “wow, wow stay low, stay low!” he heard the new guy shout from the gunner making both him and Rey confused, “what why?” she shouted back turning her head as Ben focused getting the ship lower again, “confuses their tracking tech” was the only response that the pair got, “BB-8 strap yourself down” Ben warned the droid knowing it was probably use to already being strapped down when in a ship.

“Going low hold on” he warned before swinging the ship up and round before heading closer towards the sand dune floor, flying round to avoid the shots that the Ties were firing at them Ben made a slight judgment wrong getting them hit in the bottom left side of the ship. 

“Fire back at them! What are you even doing back there?” Rey shouted back at the new guy as he tried to manoeuvre them out of range as best he could whilst staying close to the ground, “im trying have even got the shields up?” the man fired back as Ben shit Rey a look as she jumped at realisation that she hadn’t hit the right button, “on it!” she called reaching out to the shield button pressing as the display should the rear shield coming on line with the front quickly following after. Suddenly the new guy began firing at the Ties as they flew just out of range of the gunners, “Rey get done there in the other gunner!” ben ordered as she looked to want to defy his order, “go I know how to kope without a co-pilot now go!” he shouted watching as she leapt from her seat bounding down the corridor to join the new guy in shooting at the Ties.

“We need cover!” came a voice from one of the gunners as one of the blasts hit against the shields, Ben’s eyes searched the horizon before spotting an old Imperial War shipwreck, “we’re about to get some, hang on” he shouted back before diving the ship down between the wreckage swerving through carefully aiming so that the attacking ships would end up crashing, soon he heard one of the Ties get shot hearing a holler of joy ring from the gunners, “nice shot new guy!” Ben praised smiling as he swerved the ship nearly crashing into part of the old wreckage.

He then felt two shocks vibrate the ship as yells of frustration echoed behind him before he heard Rey shout back to him, “the guns their locked in forward position, Ben your gonna have to lose this last or we’re Banthar breakfast”. Looking around he felt the pull of the force direct him towards the old engines of the War ship wreckage giving him the perfect idea on what to do, “hold on to your asses” he shouted powering the ship on towards the area. Speeding through into the darkened wreck he looped through the damaged interior avoid shot after shot from the Tie, he could feel the anxiety washing off of both other passengers as he flew the ship, “are we really doing this?” he could make out the new guy shout.

He could see the space getting smaller and smaller knowing he’d have to find a way out, his eyes searching desperately until they landed on a small exit gap just big enough for the Falcon, “come on baby let’s show them how it’s down” he said stirring the ship to screech out of the wreckage flying higher up before he pulled the lever killing the engine making the whole ship free fall until it had turned enough for one of the gunners to hit the final Tie fighter. Once he’d heard the shot fired he pulled the lever again bringing the engines back to life before they crashed into the ground as they went flying into towards the atmosphere before entering space, letting at a breath of relief he sat back patting the console with a proud smile, “you never cease to amaze me” he said stirring her further out before preparing to try and enter hyperspace later.


	10. The Falcon's return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Ben to go home and remember who he really is.

He ignored their excited chatter as he went about running system checks, praying that the ship wasn’t in to bad a condition that they would be able to make it back to his mother safely.  
“Where did you learn to fly like that?” Rey’s excited voice sounded as she appeared beside the new guy and BB-8 not far behind her, looking at them for a moment he returned back to what he was doing. “My father taught me how then my uncle taught me how to fix things and my mother taught me how to be a negotiator” he answered not taking his eyes off the wiring he’d pulled from the main circuit panel, he could hear their thoughts clear as day as they thought over what he’d just told them. “He says he’s with the resistance, he can tell us where we need to take BB-8” Rey spoke up pointing back to the new guy, Ben glanced over he shoulder looking the new guy up and down noticing his change in appearance at the mention of being a part of the resistance.

“Oh, he does, does he? Alright new guys what’s your name? I’m not gonna call you new guy for the rest of the flight” he asked the man seeing that Rey was turned facing him as both siblings waited for a response. The new looked between the pair before answering watching them carefully as he did, “I’m Finn, what’s your names?” he questioned looking between them as Rey spoke up, “I’m Rey and this is my brother Ben” she replied as he hissed feeling a shock go to his fingers as he twisted a couple of wires together before the sounds of something blowing up was heard and the hissing of air filled the hull of the ship. “Blasted!” Ben hissed pushing past them as he and Rey rushed to get the damage fixed, “what’s going on?” Finn questioned watching as the siblings worked to remove the flooring plate, “it’s the motivator, again I thought this thing got replaced” Ben groaned trying his best to fix the leak as Rey ordered Finn about for tools.

“How bad is it?” the guy questioned as Ben shifted out of the way of the toxic fumes, “if we wanna live longer than the next five minutes than we better get a move on and patch this thing up,” he stated waiting for Rey to pass him the tool that he needed. “The first Order will be hunting us” Finn said as he rushed about finding the right tools, BB-8 sounded up telling the siblings that the location of the resistance base was a need to know kind of thing making Ben huff at the little droids loyalty, “if we’re gonna take you there we are gonna need to know the location” Rey stated to Finn as Ben blanked out their talking to focus on trying to fix the leaking of the old ship.

Suddenly he picked up on the answer to the location of the base making his snort out a laugh, “the Ileenium system, really that old dump, force almighty I thought they had better standards then going to the Ileenium system” he chortled receiving an unimpressed look from his sister. “We’ll drop you off at the nearest docking port then we’ve got to get back to Jakku” Rey explained making Ben jump up with a frown on his face. “We’re not going back to Jakku” he stated giving her a stern look as he went about fixing the last of the leak as Rey finished bickering with Finn, “oh no, that doesn’t sound good” Finn muttered when all the systems seemed to shut down. 

“Blasters!” Ben hissed jumping out from under the floor he raced to the cockpit seeing that the ship had been caught in the tractor beam of an unknown ship, “it’s the First Order?” Finn questioned as the pair joined him watching as the ship was all but swallowed by the other ship, “I have no idea” Ben muttered double checking the readings just to be on the safe side. Rey started to panic unsure of what to do as she looked to her brother for help, knowing he couldn’t let them and BB-8 get caught he remembered the gas leak, turning to get Rey’s attention on him, “the poisonous gas, trooper helmets don’t have air filters on them, you and Finn take BB-8 and hide by the leak, I’ll stay out here and shoot anyone that doesn’t get smoked out” he told her before shoving the pair off and down to the ventilator, passing BB-8 down when he made sure they had breathing apparatus with them.

Turning away he made sure to hide, finding one of his father’s old blasters stashed away in the usual hiding spots that he could remember, seeking out Rey through the force he kept sending her reminders to stay calm and focus on what he’d asked her to do.

He heard the footsteps of those approaching, he held his breath as he waited for them to appear, still hiding in his spot. ‘Please be good… please be good’ he silently prayed as the door whooshed open revealing their captors, he could hear them moving further forward into the Falcon before he felt all sense leave him at the sound of one of their voices.

“Chewie we’re home.”

And if it wasn’t that big enough of a clue, the hearty reply of the Wookie sound afterwards agreeing with his human counterpart.  
It was his father. Of all the people it could have been it had to be his father. His heart ached at the sound of how aged his voice was, sure he hadn’t seen his father in fifteen years made a huge difference but still his father was here, and he had found them against all odds.

Getting distracted he nearly missed his father and Chewie discovering the pair and the droid after Rey ended up dropping something, moving quickly after them he stood not far behind them listening to his sister’s fearful voice. “Where are the others?” Han questioned pointing his blaster at the two intruders, both were hyperventilating at the sight of a blaster being pointed at them, “where’s the pilot?” the aging man questioned seeing as they hadn’t responded to his last question.

Suddenly the sound of a loaded blaster was pointed at his head as a voice spoke up, familiar yet unknown at the same time. 

“Right here?” the man behind him spoke, Chewie gave a howl as he saw the man, seeming to recognise him but not know him at the same time. “Stop pointing your blaster at my crew that would be very much apricated, Solo” he directed the requested at the man in front of him giving him space to put down the blaster before slowly turning around.

He froze at the sight of the man in front of.

He almost didn’t recognise, until he got a good look at the man’s eyes.  
They were Leia’s eyes through and through, a haunting reminder of what he left behind all those years ago. 

The smirk that he wore reminded Han of himself so assured in himself he almost felt annoyed at it but couldn’t help but want to cry at the sight of it.

The Wookie growled signalling that he too had caught on to who was standing in front of them, the man glanced at the Wookie smiling at little. “Hey Uncle Chewie” he spoke quietly this time, as if it were some of the easiest words to say, suddenly the Wookie dropped the grate that he was holding storming forward to wrap the man up in his arms squeezing him tightly in a hug, cooing and growling at his missing cub. “I missed you too Chew” the young man grinned up at his uncle relishing at the missing contact he’d been missing for close on two decades, “let the boy breath you fur ball…” Han scolded the Wookie as he put down the young human stepping back as the father approached his son, bringing his hand up he cupped Ben’s cheek rubbing his thumb under his eye as Ben instinctively leaned into the touch letting out a sigh of relief.

“Hi Dad” mumbled the boy as if he were still the young teen his father had last seen him as, “hi Ben” Han almost choked pulling his son into him holding on tightly fearful that he may disappear if he wasn’t careful. “Where in the force have you been Ben? We thought you’d died, Luke couldn’t sense you neither could your mother, there were so many reports of the ship that you took being blown up on some planet in the far reaches of the Outer Rim” his father rambled constricting the boy from moving away. “I went looking for you son… I never stopped no matter how many times people told us, your mother and I never stopped looking” he sighed as Ben rested his head on Han’s shoulder almost melting into his hold, he’d never realised just how much he’d missed his father until he was back with him.

“A little help please?” the moment was ruined by Finn calling out as he and Rey struggled to lift BB-8 out of the flooring, letting a huff Chewie reached down for the little droid taking him in his arms before settling him on the floor, Ben moved away from his father offering his hand to Rey to help her out, ignoring Finn after seeing him try to flirt with his sister. 

“So where was she then?” Han asked walking round inspecting his ship as he was followed closely by the youngsters, “Niima outpost, Unkar Plutt had it” Rey replied watching the man as he went around flipping switches and pressing buttons. “Jakku!” Han hissed sending a look at Ben, “Ben Solo for Force sake couldn’t you kept my damn ship off of that dust ball” Han shook his head finally realising why it had been so hard to find his only child. “That junk yard, who had her, before Unkar Plutt?” he demanded seemingly frustrated, “the Irving Boys, who stole it from Gannis Ducain who...” Rey began to reply from her spot next to Ben curious of the old man but more curious by what he’d called her brother. “Who stole it from me, well you can let them all know that Han Solo just stole back the Millennium Falcon” he declared turning to head towards the cockpit, “wait Han Solo as in the war General?” Finn started questioning as Ben rolled his eyes at the pair, “no, the smuggler” Rey fired back before freezing turning to her brother, “he called you Ben Solo...” she mumbled looking up at him as he looked away from the two pairs of eyes that had landed on him, “your not really Ben Amidala are you?” she spoke her eyes filling with betrayal as he fought not to look at her eyes.

“Amidala as in your grandmother, Padme Amidala, you picked her name what’s wrong with Solo?” Han complained hearing the small trio talking, “I was trying to avoid being noticed… Solo is a bit noticeable don’t you think” Ben countered as Chewie growled agree with the cub. “You’re his son! Wait Han Solo is your brother’s father!” Finn gasped directing his gaze between the sibling, “what brother?” Han questioned looking at his son curiously. “Rey is my sister… not blood but I pretty much raised her whilst on Jakku” Ben explained to his father who looked Rey up and down.

“Solo’s always surround themselves with desert dwellers” he huffed making Ben struggle to hold back a smile as his father practically insulted his uncle without him being present, Rey puffed out her cheeks before sending a glare at Ben, “there’s a compressor on the coupling line, you won’t be able to enter hyperspace if you don’t remove it” she explained signalling to the cockpit, “I saw, next time I see Unkar I’m gonna shove it somewhere the sun don’t shine.” Han all but growled at the treatment of his ship. 

Shaking his head, ben took a step forward so that it was a if the other two were flanking him, “Dad we need your help.” He began to explain what had happened to lead them to being with the falcon.

“The map that BB-8 is caring leads to Luke Skywalker. The Resistance needs that map” Finn stated stepping closer, “if you really were the general that served the Rebellion, you would have known him” Finn tried to probe a response out of the aging man, Ben almost wanted to laugh. Knew him, Han Solo was Luke’s brother in law, as Ben watched his father carefully. “Yeah that’s right, I knew Luke” he muttered watching the trio carefully seeing how his son finally fit in with others.

“Please Dad… Poe… he died trying to get this droid to Mom… please I can’t let his death be in vain” he pleaded his stomach ached at the thought of never seeing Poe again, Han could see the pain in his son’s eyes, he knew how close the boys had been practically raising the pair after Kes Dameron threw himself more into flying after the death of his wife. Going to open his mouth, the echoing sounds of animal like roars filled the air startling the four newcomers.

“What was that?”


	11. a map to the jedi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they have to outrun a couple of gangs whilst avoid Rathtars.
> 
> what more could Ben ask for.

If there was one thing in the galaxy Ben despised it would be Rathtars.

“Of all the things you could be smuggling, did it have to be Rathtars?” Ben whined running his face as his father sent him a smirk after sending the other two away, “what else would you expect? Still got that glow stick of yours?” he questioned back as Ben called for his lightsabre to be in his hand. He smiled when he heard Chewie praise him for the small demonstration, “I’m hoping we can avoid me using it” Ben muttered putting it away before reaching for his blaster, BB-8 bumped into his leg beeping and chirping up at Ben who looked down sending the little droid a reassuring smile. Suddenly the doors opened to reveal the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub both demanding money from his father, making him glare at the back of his head “seriously Kanjiklub” he scolded hearing Chewie tell Han off as well for being reckless.

“That droid… the First Order is looking for an orange and white BB unit just like it,” Kanjiklub stated surprising Han slightly by just seriously the First Order wanted the droid. “Sorry but this isn’t the droid your looking for” Ben attempted to use the force to change their attention onto something else other than BB-8, both gangs were surprised but seemingly curious to the appearance of the force sensitive man beside Han Solo. “And Jedi mind tricks… I don’t think the First Order take kindly to rogue Jedi” one of the gang members chuckled darkly as they powered up the blasters taking aim at the three, “they’ll have to catch me first” Ben scowled before throwing them back trying to give time for Chewie and his father to attack them. 

As they split up Ben was followed by BB-8 along with a Kanjiklub member shooting at them, Ben took out his lightsabre using it to block the blasts aiming for them to bounce back at the gang member. A Rathtar appeared out of one of the walls swallowing the member before turning it’s attention onto him before chasing after the human and the droid, “get behind me BB-8” he shouted stopping as the droid passed by him, holding his hand out he forced the alien creature to freeze almost suspending it up in the air, sliding underneath it he held his sabre up cutting the creature till its life force left its body. Stepping up he heaved out a breath as the smell of burning flesh lingered in his nose, “that was disgusting” he muttered seeing the droid look between him and the dead creature. “What?” he questioned seeing the little droid’s reaction, turning away the droid began making it’s way towards the Falcon, “wait BB-8!” he called after the droid jumping over the corpse, rushing after as they got closer to the loading bay where the Falcon was being kept.  
Rey crashed into him as Finn followed her, “come on!” Ben called taking hold of Rey’s free hand to help keep up with one another as they approached the hanger seeing Han helping an injured Chewbacca, “Ben, co-pilot now” his father order as he nodded rushing to get into the co-pilots seat. Starting up the engine he waited patiently for his father before he appeared setting up the launch sequences, a crash jolted them as a Rathtar seemed to land on the window of the cockpit blinding them, “bloody Rathtar’s” Ben hissed pushing out with the force to try and move the creature. 

“We don’t have time, engines charged, I’m tacking off” Han stated flipping the switch ready to send the Falcon into hyperspace, “don’t forget the compressor” ben quickly reminded pointing to the dark blue button that didn’t fir amongst the other control, “got it” Han murmured pressing the button as the ship took off into hyperspace jolting entirety of the ship. Taking a deep breath Ben fel Rey put her hand on his shoulder as she appeared be hind him with a small smile excitement clear as day in her eyes, “you did good kid” he muttered sending her a smile, sparks flew into their eyes as the cursed compressor messed with the hyperdrive’s abilities.

As they flew alarms went off as the pilots struggled to fix it as both Rey and Finn struggled to patch up the injured Chewbecca, Ben struggled to work out how to fix the compressor on the hyperdrive as the sounds of Chewie’s furious growls filled the air, “you hurt Chewie you’ll have to deal with me” he heard his father shout as he felt his sister appear at his side, looking over the readings as he continued to run systems checks across the entirety of the ship, “if we don’t find a solution soon then we’re gonna have little pieces of us scattered across several galaxies..” his father muttered as Rey climbed up standing on the arm rests of his chair opening one of the panels above his head. “The crick did Unkar do to the ship!” Ben yelped as sparks flew at him, he could feel the anger bubbling up inside of him, they were all going to die if something wasn’t done to fix the ship.  
Suddenly sensing Rey’s loss of balance, he reached out using both his strength and the force to hold her up as she pulled out the main compression drive from the wiring allowing them to bypass the entire thing altogether. Getting down she grinned holding the wiring up to show what she had down as both Solo’s looked at her in surprise, “oh. Good job” Han sighed getting up to check on his old co-pilot leaving his son to finish off diagnostics and getting the ship steady after what it had been through.

“You did great back there” he murmured words of encouragement seeing the attempt of distance between his father and the young Scavenger, “how’d you know I was going to fall?” she asked curious to know he’d been able to catch her if he’d been so focused on solving the issue, “call it an ability I’ve had seen meeting you” he smiled a little as she looked to were everyone else on the ship was gathering, “I don’t think he likes me much” she muttered looking down slightly. Placing a hand on her shoulder he shook his head smiling a little, “he does it just is going to take a little while longer for him to warm up to you… I promise he’ll be offering you a place on his crew in no time” he’d joked knowing fully well that the girl would refuse anything that kept her away from the dust ball that they had been calling home for the last fifteen years. Taking hold of her hand he squeezed it reassuringly before letting go double checking the controls one last time before leading the way for him and sister to join the others.

The map lit up the space around them in a subtle blue hue. The nostalgia of his past rising up in him as he remembered the countless night’s he had stayed up looking over similar maps with his father and uncle Chewie and uncle Lando.  
“The map isn’t finished, it’s only a partial piece” Ben suddenly pointed out stepping through the hologram, his eyes scanning over the direction in which his uncle had travelled, “where did he go?” Finn questioned watching the young man as he studied that last known movements of his relative, “nobody really knows, after the destruction of the Jedi temple and the betrayal of one of his students, those closest to Luke speculated that he went looking for the first Jedi temple…” Han explained seeing his son lose himself. “What happened to Luke’s student?” Rey asked curious to hear more of the Jedi, “it was said one of his most advanced students was tempted with the promise of a power greater than anything a Jedi could comprehend” the elderly man told them as he watched Ben freeze, “Tai…” he murmured remembering the feeling of the force shifting that night all those years. 

“The Jedi always had a bit of a backwards view on things… only ever seeing things one way, I always disliked their rules” he sighed running a hand through his hair feeling the coarse strands changed by the blasts of the sands of Jakku. 

“You’re a Jedi aren’t you?” Rey murmured turning her gaze to her brother who slowly nodded before removing his lightsabre from where it hung on his belt. All eyes where on him as he turned the blade on the blue hue of the blade illuminating his face, “Master Luke was training a new generation of Jedi, he’d hoped I’d lead them when the time came… but I left, there was a darkness in me… something that I couldn’t control, so I left and practically purged myself of the force for years… until I was visited by my grandfather, he told me of what happened and that by purging myself I’d all but cut out the darkness that was in me leaving nothing but the light and that it was safe for me to start training again…” he explained feeling his fathers gaze at him, “the Jedi of old continued to visit until they deemed it no longer necessary for me to be trained… it was my grandmother and Master Obi Wan Kenobi who would visit you while I trained, Rey you have the same curse that I do, all those things you were shown growing up that was to protect you from the darkness” he stepped forward to his sister showing her everything through the force as she stared at him in shock. 

“So, what you’re saying Rey has the force?” Finn questioned stepping forward in a protective manner, Han shock his head at the younger man, “everyone has the force… it’s just only certain people that can control it… the rest of us just have it, as Luke once put it, flowing through us” he turned round glancing over the partial map. 

“You want my help, fine I’ll get your droid to the Resistance but first we gotta see an old friend” Han stated moving quickly towards the cockpit leaving the others to follow after him, “which old friend?” Ben questioned not sure much more he can take of seeing his past.


	12. A castle with ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben wished his past would slow down.   
> But still he searches for something that is lost to him.

When his father meant friend, what he really meant was they were going to see his Aunt Maz. A woman beyond description.  
She was one of his most favourite people in the whole world give or take, she’d seen him off years ago, offering to keep her silence after he explained everything to her. She was a person you just couldn’t hide things from, but of the people he had met over the years he knew that he could trust her with his life.

“You do realise that she’ll try and send you home to mom, right?” he commented as he and his father flew the falcon closer towards Takodana Castle, he could feel the glare his father sent him, “and I won’t listen, besides Leia doesn’t wanna see which is fine as long as I can get you and that droid to her it will be alright” he listened to his father as he sighed so his family had truly fallen apart when he vanished, somehow deep down he’d hoped that his parents had stuck together after all these years.

As they approached the ancient castle, Rey had appeared and soon became fixated on the world around them, Ben felt saddened by the fact she had forgotten after before arriving on Jakku only knowing the stories of the worlds that Ben had told her about, “I didn’t know that there was this much green in the whole universe” her voice was small but loud enough for both Solo’s to hear, “did get out much did you?” Han seemed to offer the comment to both his son and the strange girl that he had adopted as a sibling, “you know it is, sand was just too good to leave behind” Ben fired back feeling Rey lay a hand on his should as she leaned forward more watching as they flew to the landing point. “Don’t worry too much okay… I’ve been here before, if there’s anything you need in this whole galaxy you can find out how to get it here” he told her being able to sense the small twitch of fear inside of her as she nodded even though he wasn’t looking at her. With as much grace as possibly they landed the Falcon, feeling a sense of pride Ben stood shifting through the corridors, the thrum of the force pushed through him as he smiled taking a step outside.

It reminded him of Yavin IV, the scenery that surrounded him, all the life that was clear and pure. It settled his mind as he allowed himself to reach out knowing he was still shielded from the darkside so long as he kept calm and didn’t get to angry with anyone. “You’d like it here” he murmured into the force hoping that if Poe had passed on then he would still be able to hear him. He could still sense him in a way, it was weird it didn’t feel like he’d passed on but at the same time it felt like he was so far away Ben wasn’t sure if he could reach him, “are you there?... can you still hear me?” he whispered knowing his voice would travel across the force, a small part of him hoped his mother wouldn’t be able to hear him, he wasn’t ready to face her yet. Besides he knew she was still alive but Poe. He wished desperately for Poe to still be alive.

“So, you’re the Generals son then?” the ex-stormtrooper questioned as he appeared disturbing Ben’s thought process, “I’m actually the General’s son and the Princess of Alderann’s son, so yeah I’m their son what’s it to you?” he questioned studying the man as he moved under the gaze of the Jedi. “Nothing… just trying to work you out is all” Finn told him as Ben looked him up and down once more, “how’d you know Poe?” he asked curious to how a stormtrooper ended up being the last person to his friend. Finn looked down before looking back up again “I helped rescue him… he was being interrogated and they were going to have him executed but I helped him escape. But our Tiefighter got shot down… Poe never made it… that’s sorta why I’m here to finish what he started.” The stormtrooper explained fearful in the sense that this man was a Jedi and most likely see right through him. Humming Ben turned away spotting his father, Rey and Chewie talking with one another BB-8 rolled over to him and the stormtrooper, sounding off happy whirles as he circled the pair of humans. 

“You’re lucky that the droid likes you” Ben stated before beginning to walk away after noticing his father signal for them to start walking, “what do you mean?” Finn called after him as Ben smiled a little hearing BB-8 let out a mechanical laugh, “because Jedi and stormtroopers don’t have a good history of being around each other” the man answered back a slight tone of humour lacing his voice as he heard the stormtrooper pause for a moment. 

As they approached the Castle, he could hear Rey’s thoughts racing as she walked closely beside the aging smuggler, “So how is being here meant to help us get BB-8 back to the resistance?” Rey says as they got closer and closer to the front steps of the Castle, “if you think Chewie and I finding the Falcon was just an accident, if we can find you the First Order can as well, what we need to find you is a clean ship… and if there’s one person who can find a clean ship for your droid it’ll be Maz Katana” Han explained as they walked through the court yard towards the doors. 

“One more thing… whatever you do don’t stare” he warned as Ben rolled his eyes knowing what this place was like, “at what?” both youngsters’ questioned their voices in sync as Han looked to his son as if surprised that the pair hadn’t heard of those who visit Maz Katana’s Palace. “Any of it” he warned as they stepped through the doors, the sound of music instantly filling his ears as they took tentative steps further into the Palace, Ben could see out of the corner of his eye that neither one of the pair and listened as their eyes flicked from one alien species to the next. Shaking his head, he continued forward stepping in time with his father as the made it a small way in before being noticed by the tiny alien female. 

“HAN SOLO!” the voice called out over the music making everyone freeze as the room went deathly silently watching carefully he took notice of how hands had subconsciously drifted to hover over the hilt of his lightsabre, “hey Maz” the smuggler called back signalling for the chatter and music to start up once more, feeling the small alien shifting through the flow of the force Ben could only smile as they were greeted by the host with a deep frown on her face. “Where’s my boyfriend?” she stared the smuggler dead in the eye as he glanced over his shoulder with a role of his eyes, “Chewie at the Falcon checking on repairs” he explained as Maz muttered away about her liking of the Wookie before her eyes landed on the tall man who stood beside the smuggler, “Dearest Benjamin my darling boy, it has been too long” she cooed reach up so the he’d have to kneel to meet the hug that she was offering. Smiling slight he felt relief wash over him as he hugged the aged alien, “missed you Auntie Maz” he murmured leaning back as she got a proper look at him. 

“Good…good strong Jedi you’ve become Benjamin, I know the Princess will be so pleased to see you after all these years” she smiled at the Young man knowing how his mother had mourned for her missing child. “Auntie Maz we need your help” he spoke quietly almost ashamed to have to ask for help once again she sighed looking between all those apart of the Falcon crew, “very well come let’s talk” she spoke with a tired tone in her voice as she moved away from her nephew signalling for the group to follow her as she led them to a table for them to begin discussions.

“You look well Benjamin” Maz’s voice was gentle as she spoke to him, the young Solo looked up from where he was staring at his feet both Rey and Finn had run off not having the strength to follow knowing that as long as he could still sense Rey through the force then she would be fine, “the light is strong when I look at you” she seemed to smile making him feel better about what was happening. “I’ve had some help to get to where I am today” he told her with a tired look in his eyes, “your mother will be happy to see you my dear” she spoke sincerely reaching out for his hand, he could feel his father watching them as he allowed himself to open his mind to share with the female what he’d seen over the years. Opening his eyes he could see the look on her face as she glanced back at his father, “you better hold onto your son Solo, this boy has seen and heard much in his life” she told with a thoughtful look as his father looked between both him and the alien. her attention was back on him as she looked over him once more the lenses of her glasses magnifying as she looked over the grown up boy that she had once known, "what you long for Benjamin is still within reach... words are tunes that are lost to the winds of time follow what the voice inside you says and you shall both be returned safe" she watched as the lost look crossed the mans face, "I don't understand... what voice?" he questioned leaning forward more trying the keep as much privacy as he could, "the one that Snoke tried so hard to destroy, the voice that has kept you strong all this long... it is calling you home Benjamin and it has been for some time" Maz explained as she watched the young man process her words carefully.

Knowing that he needed to clear his mind he excused himself with the excuse of wanting to further explore the castle he had spent many days as a small child running around after the exotic cultures that passed through the castle doors. Slipping past the many visitors that lined the seats and walls he made his way out of the door looking for a place to climb. Following the architecture of the castle he found small crevasses big enough for him to fit his feet and climb and onto a ledge, there was an eerie silence that fell on him as he sat quietly in a meditation state. Clearing his mind, he reached out once more in the hope of reaching his lost friend, “Poe… hear me” he murmured into the force focusing on trying to find his friend. He knew deep down it was wrong to expect Poe to forgive him for disappearing all those years ago, put deep down he’d hoped Poe had forgiven him for what he had done, “please” he sighed feeling nothing as he leaned back against the wall.

“Nice place” a voice said, he should have been surprised but the familiarity of the voice put him at ease in some sense, “I got tired of sand” he muttered cracking his eyes open ever so slightly to see his grandfather standing before him looking round at the new scenery, “any purpose for the spontaneous visit? Last I checked I’d finished my training” he spoke up watching the spirit as he walked around the rooftop admiring the view, hearing the spirit chuckle seemed to set him on edge a little as he watched the man carefully. “Still as sharp as always Ben…” the man chuckled turning to face his grandson as the Young man’s eyes seemed to study him carefully, “you must get that droid back to your mother Ben… your uncle must be found…” the dead man said with a stern tone to his voice, “hang on a second why don’t you just tell me where he is then I can send a message to my mother” Ben tried to reason with the ghost however by the look on his face the spirit was not impressed. 

Sending a stern look to his grandson the man shook his head, “I can’t tell you because I don’t know” he told Ben who seemed blown away by the fact a Jedi of the force didn’t even know where his own son was. “Well isn’t that just brilliant you have the entirety of the force at your fingertips and you can’t even locate your own son” Ben muttered turning his back to the Jedi, “yeah well your grandmother isn’t as impressed by it either…” the spirit murmured as the pair went silent feeling a shift in the force making them both seem to lose balance, “she’s found it” Anakin sighed in relief at the prospect of another Jedi standing at his grandchild side. “Who’s found what?” Ben questioned trying to get his head straight as images flashed before his eyes as he struggled to keep them open, “Grandfather…” he called out before everything went black.


	13. Battle for the map

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it feels as if life itself had been ripped from his body.  
> the force doesn't know how to treat the young Solo.

He was surrounded by fire as rain fell heavily from the sky. Cries of pain echoed in his ears as he searched for where the crying was coming from. Stepping through mud and water, he could just about make out a familiar shape in the distance.

“NO!” he cried taking off trying to get to the burning temple, “Uncle Luke!” he called out seeing shadows running away from the burning temple, “Tai!” he called out, it was as if no time had passed and he was a Padawan again. His mind instantly falling to his friend, the only person who had tried to befriend him when he joined the new generation of Jedi.   
Feeling the ground rumble beneath him as he ran, a sinking feeling erupted inside of him as he fought to stay where he was, “No! I have to save them! -I have to save them!” he screams as the floor beneath him caves leaving him to plummet into darkness. Voices surrounded him as he kept falling through what seemed to be a never-ending darkness, “help!” he called out into the never-ending darkness. Wordless voices echoing in his ears making him feel as if his head was filled with water, he screamed louder hoping someone would here. “You must follow your path of the light but you must never forget the darkness…” the voice of Obi-Wan whispered into his ear as he looked around unsure of what was happening, “a Jedi, you are…the path of light, of knowledge and defence, you must follow… the sway of darkness, strong it is… clear your thoughts you must” the distant voice of an old Jedi Ben remembered surrounded him.

“Ben!”   
“Ben!”

That voice he knew it. He knew almost as well as he knew his own parents voice.   
“I heard you… Ben I heard you… please don’t leave me! not again… please”. They were begging, he could hear them as well as if they were beside him. “Poe..” his voice was broken, hoarse from his screams as he tried to fight against the darkness, “Poe!” he cried the ache of being away from home finally consuming him as he fought against the blackness that had enveloped him. “Let me go!” he screamed thrashing at the air that seemed to hold him captive, “please… let me out” he whimpered feeling his muscles pain as he used what little energy he had left.

“Trust in the force” his grandfather’s voice murmured Through the air as a pounding sound rung out in his ears making him lose focus. “Wait! I don’t understand, wait” he tried to say losing himself as pain erupted throughout his body, sounds of blasters and explosions ringing in his ears.  
“Ben! Ben can you hear me?” a new voice filled his senses as he seemed blinded by the new found light, “dad” he murmured released to be back from wherever it was that he had ended up, “it’s me kid, you gotta get up now” the man’s voice was urgent as another round of blaster shots were fired off, “what’s happening? Where’s Rey and BB-8?” he struggled to get up at his eyes search furiously for his sister and the orange and white droid, “First Order must have gotten a tip off that we were here, a whole squadron of them landed and started blowing the place up, haven’t seen the droid or the girl since they disappeared off…” Han explained as Chewbacca chimed in about needing more cover. “Think you can get us that cover?” the aged smuggler questioned his son as the young man scanned over the battle zone his hand hovering out as he called the lightsabre that hung at his waist to him, “on it” the Jedi called out igniting the sabre as he ran forward countering the blaster shots that were being fired at him as he knocked down two stormtroopers aiming for the back of his father. There were Tiefighters everywhere above them firing down on the castle, narrowly missing himself the young Solo looked to the sky trying to see if the was any way for him to take out the attacking ships.  
“Watch out!” Finn’s voice rung out as he came barrelling into Ben, throwing both men onto the floor “dammit trooper get off of me” the older one groaned feeling a knee to his side, suddenly the sound of a lightsabre threw him as the ex-stormtrooper was on his feet shielding Ben from an attack with a lightsabre in his hand.

Anakin’s lightsabre.

He’d grown up on stories before from his uncle and grandfather about that very lightsabre, so many times whilst building his own did he wonder just what in the galaxy happened to his family’s sabre.   
“Move Solo” the trooper shouted pushing back against the attacking stormtrooper, jumping to his feet he ignited his own sabre deflecting a shot fired from behind them, twisting round he helped defend the oncoming attacks until he felt a shift in the force throwing him off balance completely opening him up for an oncoming attack from one of the armed stormtroopers. “Stand down resistance scum” the Stormtroopers growl point the blaster at his head as he felt the sabre wrenched from his along with his grandfathers from his sisters friends hand, “on your feet” another order followed making him scowl as he felt a blow to his head making black spot cloud his vision, “now!” was all he got before stumbling to his feet his hands resting against the back of his head cradling where he had been hit. 

“You okay?” his father asked as the two pairs were brought together, “will be once I find Rey” he muttered eyes scanning over the area in search of him, all he could see was destruction as Stormtroopers seemed to crawl out from every possible place. He could sense the fear slipping from Finn as the ex-stormtrooper seemed to be constantly on edge as they were marched out towards one of the nearby ships, “isn’t there anything you can do?” he heard Finn asked as the man was pushed into him making the young jedi scowl at the stormtrooper who pointed their blaster at him. Shaking his head he knew there were to many for him to take out at once, “too many bucket heads, I’d be shot before I even had a chance to take out a quarter of them” he explained his eyes noticing the command ship that stood out against the rest of the squadron ships, “where’s the commanding officer?” he muttered catching the attention of the other three who turned to look at the ship. “No clue let’s hope we can get out of this before we meet them” Han huffed glaring at the surrounding troopers feeling annoyed with himself that they h ad been captured by the First Oder.

The ground bellow them all seemed to rumble catching the attention of all the troopers making them run for the shoreline of the lake, the distant sound of engines flying towards them as Ben felt his heart rate pick up, X-wings.

Those were X-wing engines.

“It’s the resistance!” his fathers voice echoed over the thundering of engines; the first shots were fired by the troopers making Ben hiss he knew they’d most likely miss but he feared for those flying the ships. He knew that Poe could be there, his voice had been so clear. “We need to move!” he shouted grabbing hold of Finn’s jacket pulling them out of the line of fire, quickly spotting the trooper who had taken their weapons from them, “here” he stated reaching out for the two sabres to come flying into his hand before holding his grandfathers out to the ex-trooper, “your gonna need this” he stated before dashing off slicing at the squadron ships preventing the from flying. Every so often his eyes would fall to the sky watching the dog fight that was taking place a small part of him hoped that his friend wasn’t there, that he was safe at the Resistance base yet another part of him told him it was selfish to think that the pilot would stay out of a fight like this.

He could hear Finn hollering at the sight of one of the pilots, he grinned seeing the manoeuvre that the pilot pulled. ‘Show off’ he thought feeling the familiar signature of his friend close by, “Poe…” he murmured his eyes following the single pilot for as long as possible.

“Ben!” his fathers voiced called out as three troopers aimed at him bringing him back from his thoughts as he held out his arm throwing them back as he quickly deflected their rogue shots that had been fired at him, “stupid bucket heads” he muttered flicking his wrist as throwing another five troopers to the ground. 

A shiver of darkness ran down his spine, making the young Jedi freeze. He knew who it was, he’d met them once so long ago, when he was Ben Solo and they went by a different name.  
He didn’t know what they called themselves by now, but they’d had known each other when they’d only been Jedi in training. But now. Now they were enemies.  
Servants of the light and the dark.

“I see you… Solo” the voice echoed distantly in the back of his mind, a distant reminder of the monster that he had once been destined to become.

“Come find me” he challenged knowing that a fight was inevitable.

“After I find Skywalker first” the voice hissed vanishing as quickly as it appeared.  
The pull the darkness lulled in his mind as did most of his energy as he struggled to stand knowing that his enemy had thrown the first punch in their galactic fight, he spotted the command ship along with the last three squadron ships fly off. He reached out trying to work out if they had been so close, he could feel the push of the dark side against him making him shudder even more, looking closer he could feel the familiar presence that he dreaded being there. “Rey!” he shouted before the dark forced him to break his connection, “No” he cried running after the ship as it ascended into the sky further out of reach, he disparately tried to reconnect with his sisters mind, ‘you have to wake up Rey’ he called out through the bond stumbling as he ran his mind racing as his sister got further and further away from him. Collapsing on his knees, his chest constricted as he fought for breath, his heart lurched at the thought of his sister being harmed, “not again… not again, I can’t do this anymore” he whimpered falling to the support of his hands as he fisted at the ground below him, screaming till his throat went raw he allowed for the show emotion to take over. 

He felt the fight leave him, before collapsing to the ground the gentle touch of the force guiding him into darkness, never did he hear the approaching footsteps or the distant orders of his mother’s voice nor the concern that his fathers.

He dreamed of days that seemed better. Of days filled with peace.

He did as the force willed. He let his mind rest, gentle lull of fingers in his hair made him smile.


End file.
